Was there a second adaptive radiation of giant tortoises in the Indian Ocean? Using mitochondrial DNA to investigate speciation and biogeography of Aldabrachelys (Reptilia Testudinidae)

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dc.contributor.authorAustin, J.
dc.contributor.authorArnold, E.
dc.contributor.authorBour, R.
dc.date.issued2003
dc.descriptionThe definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com
dc.description.abstractA radiation of five species of giant tortoises (Cylindraspis) existed in the southwest Indian Ocean, on the Mascarene islands, and another (of Aldabrachelys) has been postulated on small islands north of Madagascar, from where at least eight nominal species have been named and up to five have been recently recognized. Of 37 specimens of Madagascan and small-island Aldabrachelys investigated by us, 23 yielded significant portions of a 428-base-pair (bp) fragment of mitochondrial (cytochrome b and tRNA-Glu), including type material of seven nominal species (A. arnoldi, A. dussumieri, A. hololissa, A. daudinii, A. sumierei, A. ponderosa and A. gouffei). These and nearly all the remaining specimens, including 15 additional captive individuals sequenced previously, show little variation. Thirty-three exhibit no differences and the remainder diverge by only 1–4 bp (0.23–0.93%). This contrasts with more widely accepted tortoise species which show much greater inter- and intraspecific differences. The non-Madagascan material examined may therefore only represent a single species and all specimens may come from Aldabra where the common haplotype is known to occur. The present study provides no evidence against the Madagascan origin for Aldabra tortoises suggested by a previous molecular phylogenetic analysis, the direction of marine currents and phylogeography of other reptiles in the area. Ancient mitochondrial DNA from the extinct subfossil A. grandidieri of Madagascar differs at 25 sites (5.8%) from all other Aldabrachelys samples examined here.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityAustin, Jeremy J., Arnold, E. Nicholas and Bour, Roger
dc.identifier.citationMolecular Ecology, 2003; 12(6):1415-1424
dc.identifier.doi10.1046/j.1365-294X.2003.01842.x
dc.identifier.issn0962-1083
dc.identifier.issn1365-294X
dc.identifier.orcidAustin, J. [0000-0003-4244-2942]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/36802
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherBlackwell Publishing Ltd
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-294x.2003.01842.x
dc.subjectAnimals
dc.subjectTurtles
dc.subjectDNA, Mitochondrial
dc.subjectDNA Primers
dc.subjectAdaptation, Biological
dc.subjectEvolution, Molecular
dc.subjectSpecies Specificity
dc.subjectMovement
dc.subjectGeography
dc.subjectIndian Ocean
dc.subjectGenetic Variation
dc.titleWas there a second adaptive radiation of giant tortoises in the Indian Ocean? Using mitochondrial DNA to investigate speciation and biogeography of Aldabrachelys (Reptilia Testudinidae)
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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