Tropical ancient DNA reveals relationships of extinct Bahamian giant tortoise.

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Tropical ancient DNA reveals relationships of extinct Bahamian giant tortoise. / Kehlmaier, Christian; Barlow, Axel; Hastings, Alexander K. et al.
In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Vol. 284, No. 1846, 11.01.2017.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

HarvardHarvard

Kehlmaier, C, Barlow, A, Hastings, AK, Vamberger, M, Pajimans, JLA, Steadman, D, Albury, NA, Franz, R, Hofreiter, M & Fritz, U 2017, 'Tropical ancient DNA reveals relationships of extinct Bahamian giant tortoise.', Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 284, no. 1846. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2235

APA

Kehlmaier, C., Barlow, A., Hastings, A. K., Vamberger, M., Pajimans, J. L. A., Steadman, D., Albury, N. A., Franz, R., Hofreiter, M., & Fritz, U. (2017). Tropical ancient DNA reveals relationships of extinct Bahamian giant tortoise. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284(1846). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2235

CBE

Kehlmaier C, Barlow A, Hastings AK, Vamberger M, Pajimans JLA, Steadman D, Albury NA, Franz R, Hofreiter M, Fritz U. 2017. Tropical ancient DNA reveals relationships of extinct Bahamian giant tortoise. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 284(1846). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2235

MLA

Kehlmaier, Christian et al. "Tropical ancient DNA reveals relationships of extinct Bahamian giant tortoise.". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 2017. 284(1846). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2235

VancouverVancouver

Kehlmaier C, Barlow A, Hastings AK, Vamberger M, Pajimans JLA, Steadman D et al. Tropical ancient DNA reveals relationships of extinct Bahamian giant tortoise. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 2017 Jan 11;284(1846). Epub 2017 Jan 11. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2235

Author

Kehlmaier, Christian ; Barlow, Axel ; Hastings, Alexander K. et al. / Tropical ancient DNA reveals relationships of extinct Bahamian giant tortoise. In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 2017 ; Vol. 284, No. 1846.

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Tropical ancient DNA reveals relationships of extinct Bahamian giant tortoise.

AU - Kehlmaier, Christian

AU - Barlow, Axel

AU - Hastings, Alexander K.

AU - Vamberger, Melita

AU - Pajimans, Johanna L.A.

AU - Steadman, David

AU - Albury, Nancy A.

AU - Franz, Richard

AU - Hofreiter, Michael

AU - Fritz, Uwe

PY - 2017/1/11

Y1 - 2017/1/11

N2 - Ancient DNA of extinct species from the Pleistocene and Holocene has provided valuable evolutionary insights. However, these are largely restricted to mammals and high latitudes because DNA preservation in warm climates is typically poor. In the tropics and subtropics, non-avian reptiles constitute a significant part of the fauna and little is known about the genetics of the many extinct reptiles from tropical islands. We have reconstructed the near-complete mitochondrial genome of an extinct giant tortoise from the Bahamas (Chelonoidis alburyorum) using an approximately 1 000-year-old humerus from a water-filled sinkhole (blue hole) on Great Abaco Island. Phylogenetic and molecular clock analyses place this extinct species as closely related to Galápagos (C. niger complex) and Chaco tortoises (C. chilensis), and provide evidence for repeated overseas dispersal in this tortoise group. The ancestors of extant Chelonoidis species arrived in South America from Africa only after the opening of the Atlantic Ocean and dispersed from there to the Caribbean and the Galápagos Islands. Our results also suggest that the anoxic, thermally buffered environment of blue holes may enhance DNA preservation, and thus are opening a window for better understanding evolution and population history of extinct tropical species, which would likely still exist without human impact.

AB - Ancient DNA of extinct species from the Pleistocene and Holocene has provided valuable evolutionary insights. However, these are largely restricted to mammals and high latitudes because DNA preservation in warm climates is typically poor. In the tropics and subtropics, non-avian reptiles constitute a significant part of the fauna and little is known about the genetics of the many extinct reptiles from tropical islands. We have reconstructed the near-complete mitochondrial genome of an extinct giant tortoise from the Bahamas (Chelonoidis alburyorum) using an approximately 1 000-year-old humerus from a water-filled sinkhole (blue hole) on Great Abaco Island. Phylogenetic and molecular clock analyses place this extinct species as closely related to Galápagos (C. niger complex) and Chaco tortoises (C. chilensis), and provide evidence for repeated overseas dispersal in this tortoise group. The ancestors of extant Chelonoidis species arrived in South America from Africa only after the opening of the Atlantic Ocean and dispersed from there to the Caribbean and the Galápagos Islands. Our results also suggest that the anoxic, thermally buffered environment of blue holes may enhance DNA preservation, and thus are opening a window for better understanding evolution and population history of extinct tropical species, which would likely still exist without human impact.

U2 - 10.1098/rspb.2016.2235

DO - 10.1098/rspb.2016.2235

M3 - Article

VL - 284

JO - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

JF - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

SN - 0962-8452

IS - 1846

ER -