Mitochondrial sequence divergence among Antarctic killer whale ecotypes is consistent with multiple species
Recently, three visually distinct forms of killer whales (Orcinus orca) were described from Antarctic waters and designated as types A, B and C. Based on consistent differences in prey selection and habitat preferences, morphological divergence and apparent lack of interbreeding among these broadly...
Published in: | Biology Letters |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Text |
Language: | English |
Published: |
The Royal Society
2008
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2610147 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18524738 https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2008.0168 |
id |
ftpubmed:oai:pubmedcentral.nih.gov:2610147 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftpubmed:oai:pubmedcentral.nih.gov:2610147 2023-05-15T13:32:49+02:00 Mitochondrial sequence divergence among Antarctic killer whale ecotypes is consistent with multiple species LeDuc, Richard G Robertson, Kelly M Pitman, Robert L 2008-06-04 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2610147 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18524738 https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2008.0168 en eng The Royal Society http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2610147 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18524738 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2008.0168 © 2008 The Royal Society Research Article Text 2008 ftpubmed https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2008.0168 2013-09-02T09:10:09Z Recently, three visually distinct forms of killer whales (Orcinus orca) were described from Antarctic waters and designated as types A, B and C. Based on consistent differences in prey selection and habitat preferences, morphological divergence and apparent lack of interbreeding among these broadly sympatric forms, it was suggested that they may represent separate species. To evaluate this hypothesis, we compared complete sequences of the mitochondrial control region from 81 Antarctic killer whale samples, including 9 type A, 18 type B, 47 type C and 7 type-undetermined individuals. We found three fixed differences that separated type A from B and C, and a single fixed difference that separated type C from A and B. These results are consistent with reproductive isolation among the different forms, although caution is needed in drawing further conclusions. Despite dramatic differences in morphology and ecology, the relatively low levels of sequence divergence in Antarctic killer whales indicate that these evolutionary changes occurred relatively rapidly and recently. Text Antarc* Antarctic Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale PubMed Central (PMC) Antarctic Biology Letters 4 4 426 429 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
PubMed Central (PMC) |
op_collection_id |
ftpubmed |
language |
English |
topic |
Research Article |
spellingShingle |
Research Article LeDuc, Richard G Robertson, Kelly M Pitman, Robert L Mitochondrial sequence divergence among Antarctic killer whale ecotypes is consistent with multiple species |
topic_facet |
Research Article |
description |
Recently, three visually distinct forms of killer whales (Orcinus orca) were described from Antarctic waters and designated as types A, B and C. Based on consistent differences in prey selection and habitat preferences, morphological divergence and apparent lack of interbreeding among these broadly sympatric forms, it was suggested that they may represent separate species. To evaluate this hypothesis, we compared complete sequences of the mitochondrial control region from 81 Antarctic killer whale samples, including 9 type A, 18 type B, 47 type C and 7 type-undetermined individuals. We found three fixed differences that separated type A from B and C, and a single fixed difference that separated type C from A and B. These results are consistent with reproductive isolation among the different forms, although caution is needed in drawing further conclusions. Despite dramatic differences in morphology and ecology, the relatively low levels of sequence divergence in Antarctic killer whales indicate that these evolutionary changes occurred relatively rapidly and recently. |
format |
Text |
author |
LeDuc, Richard G Robertson, Kelly M Pitman, Robert L |
author_facet |
LeDuc, Richard G Robertson, Kelly M Pitman, Robert L |
author_sort |
LeDuc, Richard G |
title |
Mitochondrial sequence divergence among Antarctic killer whale ecotypes is consistent with multiple species |
title_short |
Mitochondrial sequence divergence among Antarctic killer whale ecotypes is consistent with multiple species |
title_full |
Mitochondrial sequence divergence among Antarctic killer whale ecotypes is consistent with multiple species |
title_fullStr |
Mitochondrial sequence divergence among Antarctic killer whale ecotypes is consistent with multiple species |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mitochondrial sequence divergence among Antarctic killer whale ecotypes is consistent with multiple species |
title_sort |
mitochondrial sequence divergence among antarctic killer whale ecotypes is consistent with multiple species |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2610147 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18524738 https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2008.0168 |
geographic |
Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale |
op_relation |
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2610147 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18524738 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2008.0168 |
op_rights |
© 2008 The Royal Society |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2008.0168 |
container_title |
Biology Letters |
container_volume |
4 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
426 |
op_container_end_page |
429 |
_version_ |
1766036398486323200 |