Phylogeography of the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus): Marked population structure, Neotropical Pleistocene vicariance and incongruence between nuclear and mtDNA markers (original) (raw)
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Desmodus rotundus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae; Desmodontinae) is the most common vampire bat and has a broad distribution, ranging from southern Mexico to central Chile in the west, and Paraguay and northern Argentina in the east of South America (Koopman 1988). Because of its feeding habit, this bat is considered the main source of rabies transmission to cattle. Although this species has a large spectrum of morphological variability throughout its range, thus far no study has examined the distribution of genetic lineages over its geographic range. Four geographically circumscribed clades ofD. rotundus were described in the Brazilian territory on the basis of mitochondrial sequence analyses: southern Atlantic forest (SAF), northern Atlantic forest (NAF), Pantanal (PAN) and Amazon plus Cerrado (AMC) clade. The differentiation among these clades is strongly supported statistically, although the phylogenetic relationship between them remains uncertain. The extremely high levels of sequence divergence that were found between clades (ranging from 6% to 11%) are the highest ever described for a Neotropical bat species and cannot be explained by female philopatry alone. This indicates that D. rotundus comprises two or more distinct, possibly cryptic species. The biogeographic pattern described for this bat is similar to those described for other bats and terrestrial mammals, suggesting geographical congruence between historical vicariant processes, including likely vicariant events between north and south Atlantic Forest and between the Atlantic Forest and the Amazon.
Molecular …, 2009
Phylogeographical studies are typically based on haplotype data, occasionally on nuclear markers such as microsatellites, but rarely combine both. This is unfortunate because the use of markers with contrasting modes of inheritance and rates of evolution might provide a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of a species' history. Here we present a detailed study of the phylogeography of the greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, using 1098 bp of the mitochondrial ND2 gene from 45 localities from across its Palaearctic range to infer population history. In addition, we re-analysed a large microsatellite data set available for this species and compared the results of both markers to infer population relationships and the historical processes influencing them. We show that mtDNA, the most popular marker in phylogeography studies, yielded a misleading result, and would have led us to conclude erroneously that a single expansion had taken place in Europe. Only by combining the mitochondrial and microsatellite data sets are we able to reconstruct the species' history and show two colonization events in Europe, one before the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and one after it. Combining markers also revealed the importance of Asia Minor as an ancient refugium for this species and a source population for the expansion of the greater horseshoe bat into Europe before the LGM.
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012
The newly described molossid bat, Chaerephon atsinanana Goodman et al., 2010, endemic to eastern Madagascar, shows notably high levels of phylogeographic and genetic structure compared with allopatric Chaerephon leucogaster Grandidier, 1869 from western Madagascar. Such highly significant structuring of haplotypes among altitudinally and latitudinally stratified population groups is contrary to the expected panmixia in strong flying bats. The null model of concordance in historical demographic patterns across these two Chaerephon species was not supported. Mismatch and Bayesian skyline analyses indicated ancient stable C. atsinanana populations of constant size during the last two major Pleistocene glacial periods, making retreat into and expansion from glacial refugia an unlikely explanation for such high levels of structure, in accordance with expectations for tropical bats. Analyses were consistent with post-refugial population expansion in the less diverse and structured C. leucogaster during the end of the last Pleistocene glacial period. We hypothesise that the pronounced genetic structuring in C. atsinanana may result from female philopatry. Furthermore, differing demographic histories of the two species may have been shaped by differing climate or habitat preferences, consistent with evidence from MaxEnt ecological niche modelling, which shows differences in variables influencing the current predicted distributions. Fossil Quaternary pollen deposits further indicate greater stability in past climatic patterns in eastern versus western Madagascar.
Journal of Biogeography, 2019
AimThere is an increasing evidence showing that species within various taxonomic groups have reticulate evolutionary histories with several cases of introgression events. Investigating the phylogeography of species complexes can provide insight into these introgressions, and when and where these hybridizations occurred. In this study, we investigate the biogeography of a widely distributed Western Palaearctic bat species complex, namely Myotis nattereri sensu lato. This complex exhibits high genetic diversity and in its western distribution range is composed of deeply diverged genetical lineages. However, little is known about the genetic structure of the eastern populations. We also infer the conservation and taxonomical implications of the identified genetic divergences.TaxonMyotis nattereri sensu lato including M. schaubi.LocationWestern Palaearctic.MethodsWe analysed 161 specimens collected from 67 locations and sequenced one mitochondrial and four nuclear DNA markers, and combi...
Journal of Biogeography, 2015
Aim We used an integrative approach to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the alpine long-eared bat, Plecotus macrobullaris, to test whether the variable effects of Pleistocene climatic oscillations across geographical regions led to contrasting population-level demographic histories within a single species. Location The Western Palaearctic. Methods We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of 57 individuals from across the distribution of the species. The analysis integrated ecological niche modelling (ENM), approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), measures of genetic diversity and Bayesian phylogenetic methods. Results We identified two deep lineages: a western lineage, restricted to the Pyrenees and the Alps, and an eastern lineage, which expanded across the mountain ranges east of the Dinarides (Croatia). ENM projections of past conditions predicted that climatic suitability was reduced during cold stages in the areas inhabited by the western lineage, while the opposite trend was observed in the mountains inhabited by the eastern lineage. The palaeodemographic scenario that best fitted our data is consistent with the western lineage population size having shrunk repeatedly because of the extensive glaciation events that occurred in the Alps and Pyrenees during the Pleistocene. In contrast, the eastern lineage maintained a constant population size as is consistent with more limited glaciation in the mountains of southeastern Europe and the Middle East. Main conclusions This study shows that the demographic response of populations to Pleistocene climatic oscillations depended on their geographical location, offering an example of population-level variations in the effects and longterm consequences of climate change.
Molecular Ecology, 2003
Analyses of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region polymorphism and of variation at 10 nuclear microsatellite loci were used to investigate the mechanisms and genetic consequences of postglacial expansion of Myotis myotis in Europe. Initial sampling consisted of 480 bats genotyped in 24 nursery colonies arranged along a transect of approximately 3000 km. The phylogeographical survey based on mtDNA sequences revealed the existence of major genetic subdivisions across this area, with several suture zones between haplogroups. Such zones of secondary contact were found in the Alps and Rhodopes, whereas other potential barriers to gene flow, like the Pyrenees, did not coincide with genetic discontinuities. Areas of population admixture increased locally the genetic diversity of colonies, which confounded the northward decrease in nucleotide diversity predicted using classical models of postglacial range expansion. However, when analyses were restricted to a subset of 15 nurseries originating from a single presumed glacial refugium, mtDNA polymorphism did indeed support a northwards decrease in diversity. Populations were also highly structured (PhiST = 0.384). Conversely, the same subset of colonies showed no significant latitudinal decrease in microsatellite diversity and much less population structure (FST = 0.010), but pairwise genetic differentiation at these nuclear markers was strongly correlated with increasing geographical distance. Together, this evidence suggests that alleles carried via male bats have maintained enough nuclear gene flow to counteract the effects of recurrent bottlenecks generally associated with recolonization processes. As females are highly philopatric, we argue that the maternally transmitted mtDNA marker better reflects the situation of past, historical gene flow, whereas current levels of gene flow are better reflected by microsatellite markers.
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2008
Times of divergence among the three tribes included within the subfamily Phyllostominae were estimated using a Bayesian approach to infer dates of divergence based on mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data. The subfamily Phyllostominae is particularly attractive for such analysis, as it is one of the few groups of bats to have fossil specimens. Our molecular time analyses suggest that diversification among tribes and genera of phyllostominae bats occurred during the Early to Mid-Miocene, and was coincident with diversification events in two co distributed taxa: Caviomorph rodents and New World monkeys.
2004
The Azorean bat Nyctalus azoreum is the only endemic mammal native to the remote archipelago of the Azores. It evolved from a continental ancestor related to the Leisler's bat Nyctalus leisleri and is considered threatened because of its restricted and highly fragmented distribution. We studied the genetic variability in 159 individuals from 14 colonies sampled throughout the archipelago. Sequences of the D-loop region revealed moderate but highly structured genetic variability. Half of the 15 distinct haplotypes were restricted to a single island, but the most common was found throughout the archipelago, suggesting a single colonization event followed by limited interisland female gene flow. All N. azoreum haplotypes were closely related and formed a star-like structure typical of expanded populations. The inferred age of demographic expansions was consistent with the arrival of founder animals during the Holocene, well before the first humans inhabited the Azores. Comparisons with a population of N. leisleri from continental Portugal confirmed not only that all N. azoreum lineages were unique to the archipelago, but also that the current levels of genetic diversity were surprisingly high for an insular species. Our data imply that the Azorean bat has a high conservation value. We argue that geographical patterns of genetic structuring indicate the existence of two management units.
Patterns of mtDNA introgression suggest population replacement in Palaearctic whiskered bat species
Royal Society Open Science
Secondary contacts can play a major role in the evolutionary histories of species. Various taxa diverge in allopatry and later on come into secondary contact during range expansions. When they meet, their interactions and the extent of gene flow depend on the level of their ecological differentiation and the strength of their reproductive isolation. In this study, we present the multilocus phylogeography of two cryptic whiskered bat species, Myotis mystacinus and M. davidii , with a particular focus on their putative sympatric zone. Our findings suggest that M. mystacinus and M. davidii evolved in allopatry and came into secondary contact during range expansions. Individuals in the area of secondary contact, in Anatolia and the Balkans, have discordant population assignments based on the mitochondrial and the nuclear datasets. These observed patterns suggest that the local M. mystacinus populations hybridized with expanding M. davidii populations, which resulted in mitochondrial int...