Localized population divergence of vervet monkeys ( Chlorocebus spp.) in South Africa: Evidence from mtDNA

摘要

OBJECTIVES—Vervet monkeys are common in most tree-rich areas of South Africa, but theirabsence from grassland and semi-desert areas of the country suggest potentially restricted andmosaic local population patterns that may have relevance to local phenotype patterns andselection. A portion of the mtDNA control region was sequenced to study patterns of geneticdifferentiation.MATERIALS AND METHODS—DNA was extracted and mtDNA sequences were obtained from 101vervet monkeys at 15 localities which represent both an extensive (widely across the distributionrange) and intensive (more than one troop at most of the localities) sampling strategy. Analysesutilized Arlequin 3.1, MEGA 6, BEAST v1.5.2 and Network V3.6.1RESULTS—The dataset contained 26 distinct haplotypes, with six populations fixed for singlehaplotypes. Pairwise P-distance among population pairs showed significant differentiation amongmost population pairs, but with non-significant differences among populations within someregions. Populations were grouped into three broad clusters in a maximum likelihood phylogenetictree and a haplotype network. These clusters correspond to (i) north-western, northern and northeasternparts of the distribution range as well as the northern coastal belt; (ii) central areas of thecountry; and (iii) southern part of the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and adjacent inland areas.DISCUSSION—Apparent patterns of genetic structure correspond to current and past distributionof suitable habitat, geographic barriers to gene flow, geographic distance and female philopatry.However, further work on nuclear markers and other genomic data is necessary to confirm theseresults.