Translocation retains genetic diversity of a threatened endemic reptile in Mauritius

Genetic variability, management, and conservation implications of the critically endangered Brazilian pitviper Bothrops insularis

Information on demographic, genetic, and environmental parameters of wild and captive animal populations has proven to be crucial to conservation programs and strategies. Genetic approaches in conservation programs of Brazilian snakes remain scarce despite their importance for critically endangered species, such as Bothrops insularis, the golden lancehead, which is endemic to Ilha da Queimada Grande, coast of São Paulo State, Brazil. This study aims to (a) characterize the genetic diversity of ex situ and in situ populations of B. insularis using heterologous microsatellites; (b) investigate genetic structure among and within these populations; and (c) provide data for the conservation program of the species. Twelve informative microsatellites obtained from three species of the B. neuwiedi group were used to access genetic diversity indexes of ex situ and in situ populations. Low-to-medium genetic diversity parameters were found. Both populations showed low-albeit significant-values of system of mating inbreeding coefficient, whereas only the in situ population showed a significant value of pedigree inbreeding coefficient. Significant values of genetic differentiation indexes suggest a small differentiation between the two populations. Discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) recovered five clusters. No geographic relationship was found in the island, suggesting the occurrence of gene flow. Also, our data allowed the establishment of six preferential breeding couples, aiming to minimize inbreeding and elucidate uncertain parental relationships in the captive population. In a conservation perspective, continuous monitoring of both populations is demanded: it involves the incorporation of new individuals from the island into the captive population to avoid inbreeding and to achieve the recommended allelic similarity between the two populations. At last, we recommend that the genetic data support researches as a base to maintain a viable and healthy captive population, highly genetically similar to the in situ one, which is crucial for considering a reintroduction process into the island.

Genetic assessment for the endangered black lion tamarin Leontopithecus chrysopygus (Mikan, 1823), Callitrichidae, Primates

This is the first study analyzing genetic diversity in captive individuals of the endangered black lion tamarin, Leontopithecus chrysopygus, and also comparing genetic diversity parameters between wild populations and captive groups using the same set of molecular markers. We evaluated genetic diversity and differentiation for the Brazilian and European captive groups and a wild population through 15 polymorphic microsatellite markers. The genetic diversity levels were similar among Brazilian captive, European captive and wild animals from the National Forest of Capão Bonito. Expected heterozygosity showed values ranging from 0.403 to 0.462, and significant differences were not observed among the populations. Different allele frequencies were observed among the groups, which showed the presence of distinct private alleles. The PCoA analysis evidenced three main clusters suggesting that the captive Brazilian and European groups are markedly differentiated both from one another and from the wild population of Capão Bonito. Likewise, the most likely number of genetic clusters (K) revealed by Structure was three. Such a structure is probably the result of the strength of drift and non-random reproduction in these small and isolated groups. Despite this differentiation, all groups still have similar genetic diversity levels, comparable to other callitrichids. The data obtained herein are important to increasing knowledge of the genetics of tamarins and supporting breeding programs to prevent loss of genetic diversity and inbreeding depression.