TY - JOUR

T1 - Mitogenomic Characterization of South African Leopards and the Effect of Past Climatic Events

AU - Tensen, Laura

AU - Emami-Khoyi, Arsalan

AU - Khan, Anubhab

AU - Camacho, Gerrie

AU - Swanepoel, Lourens

AU - Fischer, Klaus

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 Laura Tensen et al.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Revealing phylogeographic structure is important for accurate subspecies delineation and understanding a species' evolutionary history. In leopards (Panthera pardus), there are currently nine subspecies recognized. On the African continent, only one subspecies occurs (P. p. pardus), although mitochondrial DNA from historical samples suggests the presence of three putative continental clades: (1) West Africa (WA), (2) Central Africa (CA), and (3) Southern Africa (SA). So far, whole genome data did not recover this phylogeographic structure, although leopards in the southern periphery of their distribution range in Africa have not yet been investigated in detail. The Mpumalanga province of South Africa is of particular interest, as here, the CA and the SA clade possibly meet. The aim of this study was to characterize the first mitogenomes of African leopards from Mpumalanga, to help clarifying how South African leopards fit into continental patterns of genetic differentiation. Complete mitogenomes from nine leopards, including a strawberry leopard, were assembled de novo and included in phylogenetic analysis, in combination with 32 publicly available mitogenomes. Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses identified two deeply diverged putative clades within South Africa, which were more genetically distinct than two subspecies in Asia. The clades dated back to 0.76-0.86 million years ago, indicating that they originated during the climatically unstable Mid-Pleistocene, as seen in other large mammals. The Pleistocene refuge theory states that the maintenance of savanna refugia in East and Southern Africa promoted the divergence between populations. As such, leopards may reflect the unique climatic history of southern Africa, which has resulted in eminent and endemic genetic diversity.

AB - Revealing phylogeographic structure is important for accurate subspecies delineation and understanding a species' evolutionary history. In leopards (Panthera pardus), there are currently nine subspecies recognized. On the African continent, only one subspecies occurs (P. p. pardus), although mitochondrial DNA from historical samples suggests the presence of three putative continental clades: (1) West Africa (WA), (2) Central Africa (CA), and (3) Southern Africa (SA). So far, whole genome data did not recover this phylogeographic structure, although leopards in the southern periphery of their distribution range in Africa have not yet been investigated in detail. The Mpumalanga province of South Africa is of particular interest, as here, the CA and the SA clade possibly meet. The aim of this study was to characterize the first mitogenomes of African leopards from Mpumalanga, to help clarifying how South African leopards fit into continental patterns of genetic differentiation. Complete mitogenomes from nine leopards, including a strawberry leopard, were assembled de novo and included in phylogenetic analysis, in combination with 32 publicly available mitogenomes. Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses identified two deeply diverged putative clades within South Africa, which were more genetically distinct than two subspecies in Asia. The clades dated back to 0.76-0.86 million years ago, indicating that they originated during the climatically unstable Mid-Pleistocene, as seen in other large mammals. The Pleistocene refuge theory states that the maintenance of savanna refugia in East and Southern Africa promoted the divergence between populations. As such, leopards may reflect the unique climatic history of southern Africa, which has resulted in eminent and endemic genetic diversity.

U2 - 10.1155/2024/2174469

DO - 10.1155/2024/2174469

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85192949425

VL - 2024

JO - Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research

JF - Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research

SN - 0947-5745

M1 - 2174469

ER -