Ancient mitogenomes reveal a high maternal genetic diversity of Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros in Northern China
Abstract Background Woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) is a typical indicator of cold-stage climate that was widely distributed in Northern Hemisphere during the Middle-Late Pleistocene. Although a plethora of fossils have been excavated from Northern China, their phylogenetic status, intra...
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BMC
2023-09-01
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| Series: | BMC Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-023-02168-0 |
| _version_ | 1797578513531797504 |
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| author | Junxia Yuan Guojiang Sun Bo Xiao Jiaming Hu Linying Wang Taogetongqimuge Lei Bao Yamei Hou Shiwen Song Shan Jiang Yong Wu Dong Pan Yang Liu Michael V. Westbury Xulong Lai Guilian Sheng |
| author_facet | Junxia Yuan Guojiang Sun Bo Xiao Jiaming Hu Linying Wang Taogetongqimuge Lei Bao Yamei Hou Shiwen Song Shan Jiang Yong Wu Dong Pan Yang Liu Michael V. Westbury Xulong Lai Guilian Sheng |
| author_sort | Junxia Yuan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) is a typical indicator of cold-stage climate that was widely distributed in Northern Hemisphere during the Middle-Late Pleistocene. Although a plethora of fossils have been excavated from Northern China, their phylogenetic status, intraspecific diversity and phylogeographical structure are still vague. Results In the present study, we generated four mitogenomes from Late Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros in Northern China and compared them with published data. Bayesian and network analyses indicate that the analyzed individuals contain at least four maternal haplogroups, and Chinese samples fall in three of them. One of our samples belongs to a previously unidentified early diverging clade (haplogroup D), which separated from other woolly rhinoceros around 0.57 Ma (95% CI: 0.76–0.41 Ma). The timing of this clade’s origin coincides with the first occurrence of woolly rhinoceros, which are thought to have evolved in Europe. Our other three samples cluster in haplogroup C, previously only identified from one specimen from Wrangel Island (ND030) and initially considered to be an isolated clade. Herein, our findings suggest that ND030 is likely descended from a northward dispersal of the individuals carrying haplogroup C from Northern China. Additionally, Chinese woolly rhinoceros specimens exhibit higher nucleotide diversity than those from Siberia. Conclusion Our findings highlight Northern China as a possible refugium and a key evolution center of the Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:23:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2baac64394db4027af5510956940bc60 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2730-7182 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:23:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-2baac64394db4027af5510956940bc602023-11-19T12:10:46ZengBMCBMC Ecology and Evolution2730-71822023-09-012311810.1186/s12862-023-02168-0Ancient mitogenomes reveal a high maternal genetic diversity of Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros in Northern ChinaJunxia Yuan0Guojiang Sun1Bo Xiao2Jiaming Hu3Linying Wang4Taogetongqimuge5Lei Bao6Yamei Hou7Shiwen Song8Shan Jiang9Yong Wu10Dong Pan11Yang Liu12Michael V. Westbury13Xulong Lai14Guilian Sheng15State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of GeosciencesState Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of GeosciencesState Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of GeosciencesState Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of GeosciencesState Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of GeosciencesWushen Banner MuseumOrdos Institute of Cultural Relics and ArchaeologyKey Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of GeosciencesState Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of GeosciencesThe Third Geological and Mineral Exploration Institute of Gansu Bureau of Geology and Mineral ResourcesPalaeontological Fossil Conservation Center, Qinggang CountySchool of Sociology & Anthropology, Sun Yat-sen UniversityGlobe Institute, University of CopenhagenState Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of GeosciencesState Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of GeosciencesAbstract Background Woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) is a typical indicator of cold-stage climate that was widely distributed in Northern Hemisphere during the Middle-Late Pleistocene. Although a plethora of fossils have been excavated from Northern China, their phylogenetic status, intraspecific diversity and phylogeographical structure are still vague. Results In the present study, we generated four mitogenomes from Late Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros in Northern China and compared them with published data. Bayesian and network analyses indicate that the analyzed individuals contain at least four maternal haplogroups, and Chinese samples fall in three of them. One of our samples belongs to a previously unidentified early diverging clade (haplogroup D), which separated from other woolly rhinoceros around 0.57 Ma (95% CI: 0.76–0.41 Ma). The timing of this clade’s origin coincides with the first occurrence of woolly rhinoceros, which are thought to have evolved in Europe. Our other three samples cluster in haplogroup C, previously only identified from one specimen from Wrangel Island (ND030) and initially considered to be an isolated clade. Herein, our findings suggest that ND030 is likely descended from a northward dispersal of the individuals carrying haplogroup C from Northern China. Additionally, Chinese woolly rhinoceros specimens exhibit higher nucleotide diversity than those from Siberia. Conclusion Our findings highlight Northern China as a possible refugium and a key evolution center of the Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-023-02168-0Woolly rhinocerosMaternal diversityNorthern ChinaDispersalPleistocene |
| spellingShingle | Junxia Yuan Guojiang Sun Bo Xiao Jiaming Hu Linying Wang Taogetongqimuge Lei Bao Yamei Hou Shiwen Song Shan Jiang Yong Wu Dong Pan Yang Liu Michael V. Westbury Xulong Lai Guilian Sheng Ancient mitogenomes reveal a high maternal genetic diversity of Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros in Northern China BMC Ecology and Evolution Woolly rhinoceros Maternal diversity Northern China Dispersal Pleistocene |
| title | Ancient mitogenomes reveal a high maternal genetic diversity of Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros in Northern China |
| title_full | Ancient mitogenomes reveal a high maternal genetic diversity of Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros in Northern China |
| title_fullStr | Ancient mitogenomes reveal a high maternal genetic diversity of Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros in Northern China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ancient mitogenomes reveal a high maternal genetic diversity of Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros in Northern China |
| title_short | Ancient mitogenomes reveal a high maternal genetic diversity of Pleistocene woolly rhinoceros in Northern China |
| title_sort | ancient mitogenomes reveal a high maternal genetic diversity of pleistocene woolly rhinoceros in northern china |
| topic | Woolly rhinoceros Maternal diversity Northern China Dispersal Pleistocene |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-023-02168-0 |
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