Molecular phylogenetics of the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) did not confirm morphological subspecies in northwestern South America

Abstract

ABSTRACT. We sequenced the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region of 59 peccaries (44 white-lipped peccaries, Tayassu pecari, and 15 collared peccaries, Pecari tajacu). We also genotyped 3 DNA microsatellites from 78 white-lipped peccaries representing the 4 putative morphological subspecies (i.e., spiradens, aequatoris, pecari, and albirostris) present in northwestern South America (i.e., Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia). Our results showed:M. Ruiz-García et al. 5356©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 14 (2): 5355-5378 (2015) 1) the estimated diversity of the mtDNA control region in the T. pecari population was extremely high, whereas the average genetic diversity for the microsatellites was medium to high and similar to that observed in European pig breeds; 2) there was no significant genetic heterogeneity among the quoted putative morphological subspecies at the mitochondrial marker, but we did detect significant (although relatively small) genetic heterogeneity using microsatellites, indicating that T. pecari albirostris is a uniquely differentiated group; and 3) the phylogenetic mtDNA trees showed that haplotypes were intermixed independent of their "a priori" subspecies classification. In addition, the microsatellite assignation analyses yielded low percentages of well-classified individuals when the analysis considered the geographic morphology of the subspecies. Thus, the molecular results do not support the putative morphological subspecies of T. pecari in northwestern South America. Finally, our results did not detect clear historical demographic changes using the mtDNA control region sequences. These genetic results are discussed in the context of the ecological and social characteristics of T. pecari.

Phylogenetic relationships among Capuchin (Cebidae, Platyrrhini) lineages: An old event of sympatry explains the current distribution of Cebus and Sapajus

“…Interestingly, the monophyly of Cebus and Sapajus could not be significantly recovered by all reconstruction analyses; while the BI and MP analyses recovered it, the ML analyzes did not. This can be explained by possible past introgression across these two lineages along their evolution, as shown in the mitochondrial markers used ( Nascimento et al , 2015 ; Ruiz-García et al. , 2016 ; Lima et al , 2017 ).…”

Revisión de los aportes de los datos moleculares en la conservación de mamíferos con especial énfasis en la asignación geográfica de ejemplares procedentes del tráfico y caza ilegal en Colombia y en Latinoamérica

“…Los taxones de este grupo tienen una enorme importancia en Latino América porque constituyen la carne de monte por antonomasia. Se han realizado algunos estudios moleculares (góngoRA et al, 2006;RuiZ-gARcíA et al, 2015c) que pueden ayudar a la asignación geográfica de ejemplares de las dos especies con mayor distribución geográfica en el Neotrópico (pecarí de collar, Pecari tajacu Linnaeus, 1758; pecarí de labio blanco, Tayassu pecari Link, 1795). El primer estudio, utilizó dos genes mitocondriales (región control y Cyt-b) y algunas secuencias parciales de genes nucleares (GPIP, PRE-1 P27, PRE-1 P642, y TYR).…”