Genetic divergence in the small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus), a widely distributed invasive species

The combination of founder events, random drift and new selective forces experienced by introduced species typically lowers genetic variation and induces differentiation from the ancestral population. Here, we investigate microsatellite differentiation between introduced and native populations of th...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular ecology 2006-11, Vol.15 (13), p.3947-3956
Main Authors: THULIN, CARL-GUSTAF, SIMBERLOFF, DANIEL, BARUN, ARIJANA, MCCRACKEN, GARY, PASCAL, MICHEL, ISLAM, M. ANWARUL
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
algorithms
alleles
allopatric populations
ancestry
Animal populations
Animals
Biologi
Biology
Computer Science
differentiation
divergent evolution
Female
founder
Founder Effect
Genetic diversity
Genetic Variation
Genetics, Population
Herpestes
Herpestes auropunctatus
Herpestes edwardsii
Herpestidae - genetics
India
indigenous species
introduced species
invasive species
Jamaica
Life Sciences
Male
microsatellite
Microsatellite Repeats
mongoose
NATURAL SCIENCES
NATURVETENSKAP
Nonnative species
Wildlife conservation
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The combination of founder events, random drift and new selective forces experienced by introduced species typically lowers genetic variation and induces differentiation from the ancestral population. Here, we investigate microsatellite differentiation between introduced and native populations of the small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus). Many expectations based on introduction history, such as loss of alleles and relationships among populations, are confirmed. Nevertheless, when applying population assignment methods to our data, we observe a few specimens that are incorrectly assigned and/or appear to have a mixed ancestry, despite estimates of substantial population differentiation. Thus, we suggest that population assignments of individuals should be viewed as tentative and that there should be agreement among different algorithms before assignments are applied in conservation or management. Further, we find no congruence between previously reported morphological differentiation and the sorting of microsatellite variation. Some introduced populations have retained much genetic variation while others have not, irrespective of morphology. Finally, we find alleles from the sympatric grey mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii) in one small Indian mongoose within the native range, suggesting an alternative explanation for morphological differentiation involving a shift in female preferences in allopatry.
ISSN:0962-1083
1365-294X
1365-294X
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2006.03084.x