Phylogeography of Panthera tigris in the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans
Tigers Panthera tigris in the Sundarbans represent the only population adapted to living in mangrove forest habitat. Several studies, based on limited morphological and genetic data, have described the population as being differentiated from the Bengal tiger subspecies P. tigris tigris. The phylogen...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Inter-Research
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Endangered Species Research |
| Online Access: | https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v48/p87-97/ |
| _version_ | 1811238949111201792 |
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| author | MA Aziz O Smith HA Jackson S Tollington S Darlow A Barlow MA Islam J Groombridge |
| author_facet | MA Aziz O Smith HA Jackson S Tollington S Darlow A Barlow MA Islam J Groombridge |
| author_sort | MA Aziz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tigers Panthera tigris in the Sundarbans represent the only population adapted to living in mangrove forest habitat. Several studies, based on limited morphological and genetic data, have described the population as being differentiated from the Bengal tiger subspecies P. tigris tigris. The phylogenetic ancestry of the Sundarbans population has also remained poorly understood. We generated 1263 bp of mtDNA sequences across 4 mtDNA genes for 33 tiger samples from the Bangladesh Sundarbans and compared these with 33 mtDNA haplotypes known from all subspecies of extant tigers. We detected 3 haplotypes within the Sundarbans tigers, of which one is unique to this population and the remaining 2 are shared with tiger populations inhabiting central Indian landscapes. Phylogenetic analyses using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inferences supported the Sundarbans tigers as being paraphyletic, indicating a close phylogenetic relationship with other populations of Bengal tigers, from which the Sundarbans population diverged around 26000 yr ago. Our phylogenetic analyses, together with evidence of ecological adaptation to the unique mangrove habitat, indicate that the Sundarbans population should be recognised as a separate management unit. We recommend that conservation management must focus on sustaining this representative tiger population adapted to mangrove habitat while at the same time recognising that trans-boundary conservation efforts through reintroduction or exchange of individuals, to enhance genetic diversity, might be needed in the future as a last resort for population recovery. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:51:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1febfe0a3dbe4beaa535b2553ddb4ff4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1863-5407 1613-4796 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:51:16Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Inter-Research |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Endangered Species Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-1febfe0a3dbe4beaa535b2553ddb4ff42022-12-22T03:32:28ZengInter-ResearchEndangered Species Research1863-54071613-47962022-06-0148879710.3354/esr01188Phylogeography of Panthera tigris in the mangrove forest of the SundarbansMA Aziz0O Smith1HA Jackson2S Tollington3S Darlow4A Barlow5MA Islam6J Groombridge7Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NZ, UKDepartment of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UKDurrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NZ, UKDurrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NZ, UKDurrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NZ, UKWildTeam UK, Surfside, St. Merryn, Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8NU, UKWildTeam, Bangladesh and Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, BangladeshDurrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NZ, UKTigers Panthera tigris in the Sundarbans represent the only population adapted to living in mangrove forest habitat. Several studies, based on limited morphological and genetic data, have described the population as being differentiated from the Bengal tiger subspecies P. tigris tigris. The phylogenetic ancestry of the Sundarbans population has also remained poorly understood. We generated 1263 bp of mtDNA sequences across 4 mtDNA genes for 33 tiger samples from the Bangladesh Sundarbans and compared these with 33 mtDNA haplotypes known from all subspecies of extant tigers. We detected 3 haplotypes within the Sundarbans tigers, of which one is unique to this population and the remaining 2 are shared with tiger populations inhabiting central Indian landscapes. Phylogenetic analyses using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inferences supported the Sundarbans tigers as being paraphyletic, indicating a close phylogenetic relationship with other populations of Bengal tigers, from which the Sundarbans population diverged around 26000 yr ago. Our phylogenetic analyses, together with evidence of ecological adaptation to the unique mangrove habitat, indicate that the Sundarbans population should be recognised as a separate management unit. We recommend that conservation management must focus on sustaining this representative tiger population adapted to mangrove habitat while at the same time recognising that trans-boundary conservation efforts through reintroduction or exchange of individuals, to enhance genetic diversity, might be needed in the future as a last resort for population recovery.https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v48/p87-97/ |
| spellingShingle | MA Aziz O Smith HA Jackson S Tollington S Darlow A Barlow MA Islam J Groombridge Phylogeography of Panthera tigris in the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans Endangered Species Research |
| title | Phylogeography of Panthera tigris in the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans |
| title_full | Phylogeography of Panthera tigris in the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans |
| title_fullStr | Phylogeography of Panthera tigris in the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans |
| title_full_unstemmed | Phylogeography of Panthera tigris in the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans |
| title_short | Phylogeography of Panthera tigris in the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans |
| title_sort | phylogeography of panthera tigris in the mangrove forest of the sundarbans |
| url | https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v48/p87-97/ |
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