Taxonomic status of Chinese blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur): new evidence of a distinct subspecies

Abstract

The blue sheep is an endemic species to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and surrounding regions. It has been regarded as having 2 subspecies: Pseudois nayaur nayaur and P. n. szechuanensis. However, such a classification remains controversial. Herein, we analyze 10 microsatellite loci and part of the mitochondrial control region for clarification in such taxonomic debates. We use samples from 168 individuals from 6 geographic populations covering almost all the distribution areas of the species in China to carry out comparisons. Phylogenetic trees derived from both the microsatellite and mitochondrial markers combined with the discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) and the STRUCTURE analysis reveal that the individuals in the Helan Mountains are well grouped with a distinct evolutionary lineage and are significantly different from the other populations of P. n. szechuanensis according to Fst values, implying that this isolated population should be categorized as a valid subspecies; namely, Pseudois nayaur alashanicus. The isolation-by-distance (IBD) analysis shows a significant positive relationship between genetic and geographical distances among the populations.

Keywords: blue sheep; isolation by distance; microsatellite; mtDNA control region; taxonomy.