Phylogeography, mitochondrial DNA diversity, and demographic history of geladas (Theropithecus gelada)

PLoS One. 2018 Aug 23;13(8):e0202303. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202303. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

The large-bodied, terrestrial primates in the tribe Papionini are among the most intensely studied animals in the world, yet for some members of this tribe we know comparatively little about their evolutionary history and phylogeography. Geladas (Theropithecus gelada Rüppell, 1835), endemic primates of the Ethiopian highlands, are largely unstudied both in genetic diversity and intrageneric phylogeny. Currently, a northern and central subspecies and one isolated southern population are recognized, of which the central is classified as Least Concern, the northern as Vulnerable, and the southern is not yet assessed. The distribution and taxonomy of the subspecies remain poorly defined. Here, we estimate the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity and phylogenetic relationships among gelada mtDNA lineages based on samples across the entire species range. We analysed 1.7 kb-long sequences of the mtDNA genome, spanning the cytochrome b gene and the hypervariable region I of the D-loop, derived from 162 faecal samples. We detected five major haplogroups or clades (south, central-1, central-2, north-1, north-2) which diverged between 0.67 and 0.43 million years ago, thus suggesting a rapid radiation, resulting in largely unresolved intrageneric phylogenetic relationships. Both, the northern and central demes contain two similarly valid haplogroups, each with little or no geographic segregation among respective haplogroups. Effective population sizes of the northern and central demes decreased during and after the last glacial maximum but remained stable for the southern deme, although on a very low level. The distribution of haplogroups within the geographic ranges of the putative gelada subspecies indicates that mtDNA sequence information does not allow reliable taxonomic inferences and thus is not sufficient for solving the taxonomic rank of the three demic populations, with the possible exception of the southern population. Nevertheless, due to the genetic differences all three populations deserve conservation efforts, in particular the smallest southern population.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Distribution
  • Animals
  • Biological Evolution
  • Cytochromes b / genetics
  • DNA, Mitochondrial*
  • Female
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Haplotypes
  • Papio / genetics
  • Phylogeny
  • Phylogeography
  • Population Density
  • Theropithecus / genetics*

Substances

  • DNA, Mitochondrial
  • Cytochromes b

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the Primate Action Fund: PAF 13-14, CI Grant 64779/1000103 (www.conservation.org) to DZ, CR; the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation - Georg Forster Research Awards (www.humboldt-foundation.de/web/home.html) to AA; Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation to PF; the US-Norway Fulbright Foundation (https://fulbright.no/) to PJF; the University of Michigan to JCB, TJB; the Primate Conservation Inc; PCI # 1173; #1409 (www.primate.org/) to RB; the International Primatological Society (www.internationalprimatologicalsociety.org/) to RB; the British Ecological Society, 5190-6232 (www.britishecologicalsociety.org/) to A. Mekonnen; the Rufford Small Grants for Nature Conservation, 18192-1 (www.rufford.org) to A. Moges; the Sacramento Zoo Conservation Fund to JCB, TJB; the Bronx Zoo to TJB, JCB; and the San Diego Zoo to PJF. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.