Extremely Low Genetic Diversity in the Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal (Monachus schauinslandi)
Hunted to near extinction in the late 19th century, the endangered and endemic Hawaiian monk seal ( Monachus schauinslandi ) exhibits low variation at all molecular markers tested to date. Here we confirm extreme paucity of genetic diversity, finding polymorphisms at only 8 of 154 microsatellite loc...
| Published in: | Journal of Heredity |
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Oxford University Press
2009
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://jhered.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/100/1/25 https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esn077 |
| Summary: | Hunted to near extinction in the late 19th century, the endangered and endemic Hawaiian monk seal ( Monachus schauinslandi ) exhibits low variation at all molecular markers tested to date. Here we confirm extreme paucity of genetic diversity, finding polymorphisms at only 8 of 154 microsatellite loci tested (143 novel species-specific loci, 10 loci from Antarctic seals, and 1 previously characterized locus). This screening revealed unprecedentedly low levels of allelic diversity and heterozygosity ( A = 1.1, H e = 0.026). Subsequent analyses of 2409 Hawaiian monk seals at the 8 polymorphic loci provide evidence for a bottleneck ( P = 0.002), but simulations indicate low genetic diversity ( H e < 0.09) prior to recorded human influence. There is little indication of contemporary inbreeding (F IS = 0.018) or population structure ( K = 1 population). Minimal genetic variation did not prevent partial recovery by the late 1950s and may not be driving the current population decline to ∼1200 seals. Nonetheless, genotyping nearly every individual living during the past 25 years sets a new benchmark for low genetic diversity in an endangered species. |
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