GENETIC APPROACH OF THE COIBA ISLAND HOWLER MONKEY Alouatta coibensis coibensis FROM PANAMA, AND ITS CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS

Studies on genetic diversity are key to conservation management because they may determine the resilience of primate populations under environmental and anthropogenic changes. Herein, we studied genetic diversity and connectivity in a population sample of the Coiba island howler monkey Alouatta coi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Edgardo Díaz-Ferguson, Carlos W. Ramos, Yohanny Pineda, Karol M. Gutiérrez-Pineda, Edgardo Castro-Pérez, Pedro G. Méndez-Carvajal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad de Panamá 2024-01-01
Series:Tecnociencia
Subjects:
Online Access:https://uptv.up.ac.pa/index.php/tecnociencia/article/view/4653
_version_ 1797341323230969856
author Edgardo Díaz-Ferguson
Carlos W. Ramos
Yohanny Pineda
Karol M. Gutiérrez-Pineda
Edgardo Castro-Pérez
Pedro G. Méndez-Carvajal
author_facet Edgardo Díaz-Ferguson
Carlos W. Ramos
Yohanny Pineda
Karol M. Gutiérrez-Pineda
Edgardo Castro-Pérez
Pedro G. Méndez-Carvajal
author_sort Edgardo Díaz-Ferguson
collection DOAJ
description Studies on genetic diversity are key to conservation management because they may determine the resilience of primate populations under environmental and anthropogenic changes. Herein, we studied genetic diversity and connectivity in a population sample of the Coiba island howler monkey Alouatta coibensis coibensis from Coiba island in Panama. We collected 14 faecal samples from individuals at two sites on the northern and north-eastern sides of the island at the Gambute and Los Pozos trails, respectively. DNA was extracted from these samples, and partial sequences of cytochrome oxidase I (COI) were obtained and used as molecular markers to determine genetic diversity. Haplotypic diversity estimates ranged from 0.68 to 0.80 and from 0.0026 to 0.0041 for nucleotide diversity. Genetic connectivity based on reduced genetic distances and nonsignificant Hudson Snn test values suggests elevated connectivity between sites and the existence of a single population with good variability. Demographic history data identified positive Tajimas D as an indication of population contraction and reduced population size in this species. These results will be the baseline for establishing a better understanding of population structure, genetic health, connectivity patterns and reproductive behaviour along the largest island of the Central American Pacific. This information will allow scientists to understand and better evaluate the conservation status of this primate, confirming good availability of genetic flow even for this population living in isolation.
first_indexed 2024-03-08T10:16:18Z
format Article
id doaj.art-01ff60e8670d413d90c407d48da81ebd
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1609-8102
2415-0940
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-08T10:16:18Z
publishDate 2024-01-01
publisher Universidad de Panamá
record_format Article
series Tecnociencia
spelling doaj.art-01ff60e8670d413d90c407d48da81ebd2024-01-28T13:15:32ZengUniversidad de PanamáTecnociencia1609-81022415-09402024-01-0126110.48204/j.tecno.v26n1.a4653GENETIC APPROACH OF THE COIBA ISLAND HOWLER MONKEY Alouatta coibensis coibensis FROM PANAMA, AND ITS CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONSEdgardo Díaz-Ferguson 0Carlos W. Ramos 1Yohanny Pineda 2Karol M. Gutiérrez-Pineda 3Edgardo Castro-Pérez 4Pedro G. Méndez-Carvajal 5Estación Científica Coiba (Coiba AIP), Panamá. Universidad de Panamá, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Exactas y Tecnología, Departamento de Genética y Biología Molecular, Panamá. Universidad de Panamá, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Exactas y Tecnología, Departamento de Genética y Biología Molecular, Panamá. Universidad de Panamá, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Exactas y Tecnología, Panamá. Universidad de Panamá, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Exactas y Tecnología, Departamento de Genética y Biología Molecular, Panamá. Universidad de Panamá, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Exactas y Tecnología, Departamento de Fisiología y Comportamiento Animal, Panamá. Studies on genetic diversity are key to conservation management because they may determine the resilience of primate populations under environmental and anthropogenic changes. Herein, we studied genetic diversity and connectivity in a population sample of the Coiba island howler monkey Alouatta coibensis coibensis from Coiba island in Panama. We collected 14 faecal samples from individuals at two sites on the northern and north-eastern sides of the island at the Gambute and Los Pozos trails, respectively. DNA was extracted from these samples, and partial sequences of cytochrome oxidase I (COI) were obtained and used as molecular markers to determine genetic diversity. Haplotypic diversity estimates ranged from 0.68 to 0.80 and from 0.0026 to 0.0041 for nucleotide diversity. Genetic connectivity based on reduced genetic distances and nonsignificant Hudson Snn test values suggests elevated connectivity between sites and the existence of a single population with good variability. Demographic history data identified positive Tajimas D as an indication of population contraction and reduced population size in this species. These results will be the baseline for establishing a better understanding of population structure, genetic health, connectivity patterns and reproductive behaviour along the largest island of the Central American Pacific. This information will allow scientists to understand and better evaluate the conservation status of this primate, confirming good availability of genetic flow even for this population living in isolation. https://uptv.up.ac.pa/index.php/tecnociencia/article/view/4653Genetic variabilitygenetic connectivityhaplotype diversitynucleotide diversityprimates
spellingShingle Edgardo Díaz-Ferguson
Carlos W. Ramos
Yohanny Pineda
Karol M. Gutiérrez-Pineda
Edgardo Castro-Pérez
Pedro G. Méndez-Carvajal
GENETIC APPROACH OF THE COIBA ISLAND HOWLER MONKEY Alouatta coibensis coibensis FROM PANAMA, AND ITS CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS
Tecnociencia
Genetic variability
genetic connectivity
haplotype diversity
nucleotide diversity
primates
title GENETIC APPROACH OF THE COIBA ISLAND HOWLER MONKEY Alouatta coibensis coibensis FROM PANAMA, AND ITS CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS
title_full GENETIC APPROACH OF THE COIBA ISLAND HOWLER MONKEY Alouatta coibensis coibensis FROM PANAMA, AND ITS CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS
title_fullStr GENETIC APPROACH OF THE COIBA ISLAND HOWLER MONKEY Alouatta coibensis coibensis FROM PANAMA, AND ITS CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS
title_full_unstemmed GENETIC APPROACH OF THE COIBA ISLAND HOWLER MONKEY Alouatta coibensis coibensis FROM PANAMA, AND ITS CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS
title_short GENETIC APPROACH OF THE COIBA ISLAND HOWLER MONKEY Alouatta coibensis coibensis FROM PANAMA, AND ITS CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS
title_sort genetic approach of the coiba island howler monkey alouatta coibensis coibensis from panama and its conservation implications
topic Genetic variability
genetic connectivity
haplotype diversity
nucleotide diversity
primates
url https://uptv.up.ac.pa/index.php/tecnociencia/article/view/4653
work_keys_str_mv AT edgardodiazferguson geneticapproachofthecoibaislandhowlermonkeyalouattacoibensiscoibensisfrompanamaanditsconservationimplications
AT carloswramos geneticapproachofthecoibaislandhowlermonkeyalouattacoibensiscoibensisfrompanamaanditsconservationimplications
AT yohannypineda geneticapproachofthecoibaislandhowlermonkeyalouattacoibensiscoibensisfrompanamaanditsconservationimplications
AT karolmgutierrezpineda geneticapproachofthecoibaislandhowlermonkeyalouattacoibensiscoibensisfrompanamaanditsconservationimplications
AT edgardocastroperez geneticapproachofthecoibaislandhowlermonkeyalouattacoibensiscoibensisfrompanamaanditsconservationimplications
AT pedrogmendezcarvajal geneticapproachofthecoibaislandhowlermonkeyalouattacoibensiscoibensisfrompanamaanditsconservationimplications