Hybridisation Between Black (Pteropods alecto) and Grey- Headed (P. poliocephalus) Flying-Foxes (Megachiroptera: Pteropodidae).

1995 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
N.J. Webb ◽  
C.R. Tidemann
Keyword(s):  
Parental Species ◽  
Interspecific Hybridisation ◽  
Morphological Similarity ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Flying Foxes ◽  
Heterozygous Condition ◽  
Allelic Differences ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
External Characteristics ◽  
Flying Fox

The range of the black flying-fox (Pteropus alecto) in Australia overlaps with two morphologically very similar congenerics: the grey-headed flying-fox (P. poliocephalus) and the spectacled flying-fox (P. conspecillatus). Protein electrophoresis was used to examine cases of apparent hybridisation between P. alecto and these other species. Two loci with fixed allelic differences were identified between P. alecto and P. poliocephalus and were used to confirm three cases of interspecific hybridisation, one of which probably occurred in the wild, and one of backcrossing. Hybrid individuals possessed external characteristics that were intermediate between the parental species. Pteropus alecto and P. conspecillatus showed very little genetic differentiation and only one out of 23 scorable loci showed a fixed allelic difference. A reported interspecific hybrid, and two other flying-foxes, considered to be possible P. alecto/P. conspecillatus hybrids, failed to show the expected heterozygous condition at this locus. Further diagnostic loci need to be sought before a definite conclusion can be made concerning the hybrid status of these individuals. The very close morphological similarity of P. alecto and P. conspecillatus, combined with their genetic similarity, suggests that more discriminating DNA based techniques would be necessary to fully describe the relationships between these closely related species.

Phylogeny of the rock wallabies, Petrogale (Marsupialia: Macropodidae). Part II: Detection of hybridisation among macropodines

2010 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 67
Author(s):  
John A. W. Kirsch ◽  
Olivier Gauthier ◽  
Antoine Campeau-Péloquin ◽  
Mark D. B. Eldridge ◽  
François-Joseph Lapointe
Keyword(s):  
Parental Species ◽  
Phylogenetic Position ◽  
Crossing Over ◽  
Interspecific Hybridisation ◽  
Hybrid Speciation ◽  
Detection Criterion ◽  
Hybrid Detection ◽  
Dna Hybridisation ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
In The Wild

Phylogenetic relationships among rock-wallabies, Petrogale (Marsupialia: Macropodidae), have proven difficult to resolve. Given the documented interspecific hybridisation in the wild and the ease with which hybrids can be bred in captivity, introgression and hybrid speciation are likely explanations for these difficulties. In this paper, an attempt is made at using a phylogenetic approach to identify Petrogale hybrids of known origin. The Hybrid Detection Criterion (HDC) test is applied to DNA–DNA hybridisation data for 15 full species, two natural yard-bred hybrids, and two artificial hybrids from the same pairs of parental species. While the yard-bred hybrids elude detection with this technique, the artificial hybrids, consisting of equimolar mixture of parental extracts, are easily identified. Moreover, splitsgraphs constructed from five pairs of natural and artificial hybrids, including those evaluated with HDC, and their parents show that, in all cases but one, these two kinds of hybrids do not group together. Because the HDC assumes an intermediate phylogenetic position of the hybrid between its postulated parents, it is likely that unequal crossing-over, or another recombination event, affects the results of the test. These conclusions cast some doubt on the possibility of accurately detecting Petrogale hybrids with a phylogenetic approach.

scholarly journals Species integrity enhanced by a predation cost to hybrids in the wild

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 20170208 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Anders Nilsson ◽  
Kaj Hulthén ◽  
Ben B. Chapman ◽  
Lars-Anders Hansson ◽  
Jakob Brodersen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Related Species ◽  
Parental Species ◽  
Great Cormorant ◽  
Phalacrocorax Carbo ◽  
Hybrid Fitness ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Ecological Selection ◽  
Field Evidence ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Species Integrity

Species integrity can be challenged, and even eroded, if closely related species can hybridize and produce fertile offspring of comparable fitness to that of parental species. The maintenance of newly diverged or closely related species therefore hinges on the establishment and effectiveness of pre- and/or post-zygotic reproductive barriers. Ecological selection, including predation, is often presumed to contribute to reduced hybrid fitness, but field evidence for a predation cost to hybridization remains elusive. Here we provide proof-of-concept for predation on hybrids being a postzygotic barrier to gene flow in the wild. Cyprinid fishes commonly produce fertile, viable hybrid offspring and therefore make excellent study organisms to investigate ecological costs to hybrids. We electronically tagged two freshwater cyprinid fish species (roach Rutilus rutilus and bream Abramis brama ) and their hybrids in 2005. Tagged fish were returned to their lake of origin, exposing them to natural predation risk from apex avian predators (great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo ). Scanning for regurgitated tags under cormorant roosts 3–4 years later identified cormorant-killed individual fish and allowed us to directly test for a predation cost to hybrids in the wild. Hybrid individuals were found significantly more susceptible to cormorant predation than individuals from either parental species. Such ecological selection against hybrids contributes to species integrity, and can enhance species diversification.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Meiotic Segregation in Intergeneric Hybrids of Tilapias

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Etienne Bezault ◽  
Xavier Rognon ◽  
Frederic Clota ◽  
Karim Gharbi ◽  
Jean-Francois Baroiller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parental Species ◽  
Genome Structure ◽  
Intergeneric Hybrids ◽  
Interspecific Hybridisation ◽  
Meiotic Segregation ◽  
Apparent Lack ◽  
Cichlid Species ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Sarotherodon Melanotheron ◽  
Generation Hybrid

Tilapia species exhibit a large ecological diversity and an important propensity to interspecific hybridisation. This has been shown in the wild and used in aquaculture. However, despite its important evolutionary implications, few studies have focused on the analysis of hybrid genomes and their meiotic segregation. Intergeneric hybrids between Oreochromis niloticus and Sarotherodon melanotheron, two species highly differentiated genetically, ecologically, and behaviourally, were produced experimentally. The meiotic segregation of these hybrids was analysed in reciprocal second generation hybrid (F2) and backcross families and compared to the meiosis of both parental species, using a panel of 30 microsatellite markers. Hybrid meioses showed segregation in accordance to Mendelian expectations, independent from sex and the direction of crosses. In addition, we observed a conservation of linkage associations between markers, which suggests a relatively similar genome structure between the two parental species and the apparent lack of postzygotic incompatibility, despite their important divergence. These results provide genomics insights into the relative ease of hybridisation within cichlid species when prezygotic barriers are disrupted. Overall our results support the hypothesis that hybridisation may have played an important role in the evolution and diversification of cichlids.

scholarly journals Premating barriers in young sympatric snail species

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arina L. Maltseva ◽  
Marina A. Varfolomeeva ◽  
Arseniy A. Lobov ◽  
Polina O. Tikanova ◽  
Egor A. Repkin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Flow ◽  
Snail Species ◽  
Sympatric Populations ◽  
Gastropod Species ◽  
Shell Size ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Partial Canonical Correspondence Analysis ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Isolation Index

AbstractSympatric coexistence of recently diverged species raises the question of barriers restricting the gene flow between them. Reproductive isolation may be implemented at several levels, and the weakening of some, e.g. premating, barriers may require the strengthening of the others, e.g. postcopulatory ones. We analysed mating patterns and shell size of mates in recently diverged closely related species of the subgenus Littorina Neritrema (Littorinidae, Caenogastropoda) in order to assess the role of premating reproductive barriers between them. We compared mating frequencies observed in the wild with those expected based on relative densities using partial canonical correspondence analysis. We introduced the fidelity index (FI) to estimate the relative accuracy of mating with conspecific females and precopulatory isolation index (IPC) to characterize the strength of premating barriers. The species under study, with the exception of L. arcana, clearly demonstrated preferential mating with conspecifics. According to FI and IPC, L. fabalis and L. compressa appeared reliably isolated from their closest relatives within Neritrema. Individuals of these two species tend to be smaller than those of the others, highlighting the importance of shell size changes in gastropod species divergence. L. arcana males were often found in pairs with L. saxatilis females, and no interspecific size differences were revealed in this sibling species pair. We discuss the lack of discriminative mate choice in the sympatric populations of L. arcana and L. saxatilis, and possible additional mechanisms restricting gene flow between them.

scholarly journals A comparison of nutritional value of native and alien food plants for a critically endangered island flying-fox

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. e0250857
Author(s):  
Laura A. Pulscher ◽  
Ellen S. Dierenfeld ◽  
Justin A. Welbergen ◽  
Karrie A. Rose ◽  
David N. Phalen
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Food Plants ◽  
Nutritional Requirements ◽  
Nutritional Content ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Flying Foxes ◽  
Christmas Island ◽  
Flying Fox

Habitat loss and alteration are two of the biggest threats facing insular flying-foxes. Altered habitats are often re-vegetated with introduced or domestic plant species on which flying-foxes may forage. However, these alien food plants may not meet the nutritional requirements of flying-foxes. The critically endangered Christmas Island flying-fox (CIFF; Pteropus natalis) is subject to habitat alteration and the introduction of alien food plants, and therefore is a good model species to evaluate the potential impact of alien plant species on insular flying-foxes. In this study, we evaluated nutritional content of native food plants to determine how flying-foxes historically met their nutritional requirements. Furthermore, we compared the nutritional content of native and alien fruits to predict possible impacts of alien plants on insular flying-foxes. Native and alien fruits and flowers, and native foliage (leaves, petals, and petioles) commonly consumed by the CIFF were collected and evaluated for soluble sugars, crude protein, non-fiber carbohydrates, and nine minerals. Evaluation of native food plants suggests that flying-foxes meet energy requirements by consuming fruit and nectar. However, fruit and nectar are low in protein and essential minerals required for demanding life periods; therefore, flying-foxes likely supplement their diets with pollen and foliage. Thus, flying-foxes require a diverse array of plants to meet their nutritional requirements. Compared to native fruits, alien fruits contained significantly higher non-fiber carbohydrates, and this may provide an important energy source, particularly from species that bear fruit year-round. Median mineral concentrations in alien fruit species, however, were deficient compared to native fruits, suggesting major (or even seasonal) shifts in the proportion of alien species in the CIFF diet could lead to nutritional imbalances. This study confirms the need to quantify nutritional parameters in addition to feeding ecology when evaluating habitat quality to inform conservation actions that can be applied both locally and globally.

scholarly journals A New Hendra Virus Genotype Found in Australian Flying Foxes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianning Wang ◽  
Danielle E Anderson ◽  
Kim Halpin ◽  
Xiao Hong ◽  
Honglei Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Relatedness ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Inflammatory Lesion ◽  
Hendra Virus ◽  
Virus Genotype ◽  
Flying Foxes ◽  
Qrt Pcr ◽  
Genotype 2 ◽  
Pcr Assays ◽  
Flying Fox

Abstract Background Hendra virus (HeV) has caused lethal disease outbreaks in humans and horses in Australia. Pteropid bats (flying foxes) are the wildlife reservoir from which the virus was first isolated in 1996. Following a heat stress mortality event in Australian flying foxes in 2013, a novel HeV variant was discovered. This study describes the subsequent surveillance of Australian flying foxes for this novel virus over a nine year period using qRT-PCR testing of bat tissues submitted primarily for Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) diagnosis. Genome sequencing and characterisation of the novel HeV variant was also undertaken. Methods Spleen and kidney samples harvested from flying fox carcasses were initially screened with two real-time qRT-PCR assays specific for the prototype HeV. Two additional qRT-PCR assays were developed specific for the HeV variant first detected in samples from a flying fox in 2013. Next-generation sequencing and virus isolation was attempted from selected samples to further characterise the new virus. Results Since 2013, 98 flying foxes were tested and 11 were positive for the new HeV variant. No samples were positive for the original HeV. Ten of the positive samples were from grey-headed flying foxes (GHFF, Pteropus poliocephalus), however this species was over-represented in the opportunistic sampling (83% of bats tested were GHFF). The positive GHFF samples were collected from Victoria and South Australia and one positive Little red flying fox (LRFF, Pteropus scapulatus) was collected from Western Australia. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) confirmed the presence of henipavirus antigen, associated with an inflammatory lesion in cardiac blood vessels of one GHFF. Positive samples were sequenced and the complete genome was obtained from three samples. When compared to published HeV genomes, there was 84% sequence identity at the nucleotide level. Based on phylogenetic analyses, the newly detected HeV belongs to the HeV species but occupies a distinct lineage. We have therefore designated this virus HeV genotype 2 (HeV-G2). Attempts to isolate virus from PCR positive samples have not been successful. Conclusions A novel HeV genotype (HeV-G2) has been identified in two flying fox species submitted from three states in Australia, indicating that the level of genetic diversity for HeV is broader than first recognised. Given its high genetic relatedness to HeV, HeV-G2 should be considered a zoonotic pathogen.

Hybridization between the threatened herb Boltonia decurrens (Asteraceae) and its widespread congener, B. asteroides

Botany ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-201
Author(s):  
Jennifer DeWoody ◽  
John D. Nason ◽  
Marian Smith
Keyword(s):  
Parental Species ◽  
Backcross Progeny ◽  
Illinois River ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
Hybrid Origin ◽  
Sympatric Population ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Marker Data ◽  
Boltonia Decurrens

Boltonia decurrens (Torr. & A. Gray) A. Wood is a federally threatened herb endemic to the Illinois River floodplain, and currently restricted to fewer than 25 populations. We tested for hybridization between this species and a widespread congener, Boltonia asteroides (L.) L’Hér., at two sites where they are known to occur in sympatry, by comparing morphological and genetic diversity with an allopatric population of each species. Morphological analyses identified significant differentiation between species. Discriminant classification analysis of the morphological data assigned most individuals to one or the other of the two parental species with high probability (>0.95), with only four plants having an intermediate probability of assignment (<0.90) indicative of hybrid origin. Similarly, likelihood-based methods based on genetic marker data (allozymes) failed to detect the presence of F1 hybrids in either sympatric population and revealed only low frequencies of F2 and backcross progeny. These findings demonstrate that combining morphological and genetic data increases the likelihood of detecting low-scale introgression between closely related species. Even with this combined approach, the low rate of recombination between these species together with their limited sympatry indicate that hybridization does not pose an immediate threat to the genetic integrity of B. decurrens.

scholarly journals Living a dog’s life: a putative gray wolf in a feral dog group

Mammalia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-120
Author(s):  
Elitsa Popova ◽  
Diana Zlatanova
Keyword(s):  
Related Species ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Complex Interaction ◽  
Domestic Dog ◽  
Hybrid Origin ◽  
Mountainous Area ◽  
Gray Wolf ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Feral Dogs ◽  
In The Wild

AbstractThe gray wolf and the domestic dog are closely related species that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. In settings where unrestrained dogs are present in the wild, hybridization can happen naturally. However, the behavior of the resulting hybrids and their ecological impact is largely understudied. In September–November 2018, a putative gray wolf was repeatedly camera-trapped in a group of 10 presumably feral dogs in a remote mountainous area (the Osogovo Mountain) along the border between Bulgaria and North Macedonia. The most feasible explanation for this individual’s atypical behavior is that it is of hybrid origin (assumption based on phenotype). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented observation of such a kind. A discussion of its recruitment and position in the group is presented, setting the basis for further investigation of the complex interaction between wolves, dogs and hybrids in the wild.

scholarly journals Roost of Gray Flying Foxes (Pteropus griseus) in Indonesia and Records of a New Hunting Threat

Diversity ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheherazade ◽  
Susan Tsang
Keyword(s):  
Small Islands ◽  
Anecdotal Evidence ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
International Union ◽  
Flying Foxes ◽  
North Sulawesi ◽  
Fruit Bat ◽  
Data Deficient ◽  
Conservation Threats ◽  
Flying Fox

Pteropus griseus (gray flying fox) is a species of Old World fruit bat that is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Data Deficient. The species is found on small islands in the Lesser Sundas and Sulawesi, and is endemic to Indonesia, but no contemporary roosts are known, and the last study of the species was in Timor in the Lesser Sundas. In this study, we describe the first known day roost in Sulawesi for Pteropus griseus and collected anecdotal evidence regarding conservation threats to the colony. We compared data from flying foxes collected from this roost to other P. griseus specimens and those of closely related co-occurring species to confirm its identity. We confirmed that this roost is likely of Pteropus griseus, though the subspecies identity remains to be determined. However, it is newly threatened by middlemen traders of bat meat from North Sulawesi arriving to encourage local villagers near the roost to hunt the bats. Elevated levels of hunting may deplete the entire colony in a single season should no conservation action be taken to safeguard the roost.

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