Multi-locus analysis supports the taxonomic validity of Arborophila gingica guangxiensis Fang Zhou & Aiwu Jiang, 2008

By

Chen, De
Liu, Qiong
Chang, Jiang
Jiang, Aiwu
Zhou, Fang
Zhang, Yanyun (Botanist)
Zhang, Zhengwang

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2016

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

555

Pages

125-136

Subjects

Conservation Unit , evolutionary distinctiveness , hill partridge , mitochondrial DNA , monophyletic groups , nuclear introns

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.555.6814

 

Abstract

The taxonomic status of subspecies has long been debated, especially in conservation biology. Some proposed subspecies must be evolutionarily distinct to be considered conservation units. White-necklaced Partridge (Arborophila gingica) comprises two subspecies, A. g. gingica and A. g. guangxiensis. A. g. guangxiensis, restricted to three isolated small areas in Guangxi, China, with limited population sizes, is a newly discovered subspecies based on recently identified geographic and phenotypic differences between A. g. gingica; however, evidence is lacking that can effectively identify whether the subspecies is evolutionarily distinct. Here, three mitochondrial DNA segments and four nuclear introns were used to test whether the two subspecies are reciprocally monophyletic, which has been proposed as an objective method to evaluate evolutionary distinctiveness. The results indicate that the two subspecies are genetically divergent and form reciprocal monophyletic groups. Therefore, this study further supports the taxonomic validity and distinctiveness of A. g. guangxiensis and suggests that this subspecies be considered as a conservation unit.