Genetic Divergence Inferred from Nested Phylogenetic Analysis of the Green Salamander: Aneides aeneus
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Authors
Maxson, Laura S.
Issue Date
1999
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
The concept of species has been a highly debated subject in recent years,
especially in the context of conservation biology. What is the minimum unit that should
be considered for conservation measures? The species Aneides aeneus, the green
salamander found in the Appalachian region of the eastern United States presents an
accurate illustration of this problem. The International Union for Conservation of Nature
and Natural Resources (IUCN) is presently considering the entire metapopulation of A.
aeneus for conservation. However, Sessions and Kezer discovered that A. aeneus exists
in two chromosomally distinct populations (Sessions and Kezer, 1987). One of these
karyotypes is also found in a disjunct population in North and South Carolina. The
purpose of this study was to use cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA sequence to reanalyze
the intraspecific phylogenetic relationships of A. aeneus to a degree that was not
methodologically possible in the previous karyotype study of Sessions and Kezer. A
nested cladistic analysis was used to resolve relationships within A. aeneus populations.
Following initial phylogenetic analysis, gene flow between populations was estimated
from the phylogeny generated with the Cyt b sequences. The mitochondrial sequence
data demonstrated that A. aeneus is represented by at least three genetically distinct
populations. Gene flow estimates indicated that little migration has occurred between the
three populations in recent years. According to the Endangered Species Act and several
species concepts, these distinct populations are the taxa that should be considered for
conservation. Therefore, this phylogenetic data should be seriously considered in
formulating necessary conservation measures to protect these populations of A. aeneus.
Description
vii, 30 p.
Citation
Publisher
Kalamazoo College
License
U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder.