Ancestral Hybridization Yields Evolutionary Distinct Hybrids Lineages and Species Boundaries in Crocodiles, Posing Unique Conservation Conundrums
Interspecific hybridization can lead to adaptation and speciation, especially in the context of recent radiations. The emblematic Crocodylus (true crocodiles) is the most broadly distributed, ecologically diverse, and species-rich crocodylian genus. Nonetheless, their within-species evolutionary pro...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2018.00138/full |
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| author | Gualberto Pacheco-Sierra Gualberto Pacheco-Sierra Ella Vázquez-Domínguez Ella Vázquez-Domínguez Jessica Pérez-Alquicira Marco Suárez-Atilano Jerónimo Domínguez-Laso |
| author_facet | Gualberto Pacheco-Sierra Gualberto Pacheco-Sierra Ella Vázquez-Domínguez Ella Vázquez-Domínguez Jessica Pérez-Alquicira Marco Suárez-Atilano Jerónimo Domínguez-Laso |
| author_sort | Gualberto Pacheco-Sierra |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Interspecific hybridization can lead to adaptation and speciation, especially in the context of recent radiations. The emblematic Crocodylus (true crocodiles) is the most broadly distributed, ecologically diverse, and species-rich crocodylian genus. Nonetheless, their within-species evolutionary processes are poorly resolved mainly due to their potential for hybridization. Notably, the evolutionary outcomes when hybridization is ancient and involves long-lived species, like crocodiles, remain largely unexplored. Here, we evaluate the genomic admixture between the American (Crocodylus acutus) and the Morelet's (Crocodylus moreletii) species, and demonstrate that this hybridization system challenges the definition of species boundaries and poses a triple conservation conundrum: what has been recognized as C. acutus is actually two distinct species, therefore its taxonomic reassessment is needed; we identified two evolutionary distinct hybrids lineages, which are genetically discernible from the parental species; the remaining C. moreletii populations evidence its likely extinction as a species and/or evolution via hybridization. Hence, the crocodiles' distinct species and hybrids lineages warrant recognition and need urgent conservation efforts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T08:18:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4a801d17033c4c74bf48adc84dbcbffc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T08:18:48Z |
| publishDate | 2018-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-4a801d17033c4c74bf48adc84dbcbffc2022-12-22T01:56:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2018-09-01610.3389/fevo.2018.00138409513Ancestral Hybridization Yields Evolutionary Distinct Hybrids Lineages and Species Boundaries in Crocodiles, Posing Unique Conservation ConundrumsGualberto Pacheco-Sierra0Gualberto Pacheco-Sierra1Ella Vázquez-Domínguez2Ella Vázquez-Domínguez3Jessica Pérez-Alquicira4Marco Suárez-Atilano5Jerónimo Domínguez-Laso6Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, MexicoPosgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, MexicoDepartamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, MexicoAmerican Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United StatesCONACYT - Laboratorio Nacional de Identificación y Caracterización Vegetal, Departarmento de Botánica y Zoología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, MexicoDepartamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, MexicoCOMAFFAS AC, Programa Crocodylia, Chiapa de Corzo, MexicoInterspecific hybridization can lead to adaptation and speciation, especially in the context of recent radiations. The emblematic Crocodylus (true crocodiles) is the most broadly distributed, ecologically diverse, and species-rich crocodylian genus. Nonetheless, their within-species evolutionary processes are poorly resolved mainly due to their potential for hybridization. Notably, the evolutionary outcomes when hybridization is ancient and involves long-lived species, like crocodiles, remain largely unexplored. Here, we evaluate the genomic admixture between the American (Crocodylus acutus) and the Morelet's (Crocodylus moreletii) species, and demonstrate that this hybridization system challenges the definition of species boundaries and poses a triple conservation conundrum: what has been recognized as C. acutus is actually two distinct species, therefore its taxonomic reassessment is needed; we identified two evolutionary distinct hybrids lineages, which are genetically discernible from the parental species; the remaining C. moreletii populations evidence its likely extinction as a species and/or evolution via hybridization. Hence, the crocodiles' distinct species and hybrids lineages warrant recognition and need urgent conservation efforts.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2018.00138/fullcrocodilesCrocodylus acutusCrocodylus moreletiiextinctiongenomic admixturehybridization |
| spellingShingle | Gualberto Pacheco-Sierra Gualberto Pacheco-Sierra Ella Vázquez-Domínguez Ella Vázquez-Domínguez Jessica Pérez-Alquicira Marco Suárez-Atilano Jerónimo Domínguez-Laso Ancestral Hybridization Yields Evolutionary Distinct Hybrids Lineages and Species Boundaries in Crocodiles, Posing Unique Conservation Conundrums Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution crocodiles Crocodylus acutus Crocodylus moreletii extinction genomic admixture hybridization |
| title | Ancestral Hybridization Yields Evolutionary Distinct Hybrids Lineages and Species Boundaries in Crocodiles, Posing Unique Conservation Conundrums |
| title_full | Ancestral Hybridization Yields Evolutionary Distinct Hybrids Lineages and Species Boundaries in Crocodiles, Posing Unique Conservation Conundrums |
| title_fullStr | Ancestral Hybridization Yields Evolutionary Distinct Hybrids Lineages and Species Boundaries in Crocodiles, Posing Unique Conservation Conundrums |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ancestral Hybridization Yields Evolutionary Distinct Hybrids Lineages and Species Boundaries in Crocodiles, Posing Unique Conservation Conundrums |
| title_short | Ancestral Hybridization Yields Evolutionary Distinct Hybrids Lineages and Species Boundaries in Crocodiles, Posing Unique Conservation Conundrums |
| title_sort | ancestral hybridization yields evolutionary distinct hybrids lineages and species boundaries in crocodiles posing unique conservation conundrums |
| topic | crocodiles Crocodylus acutus Crocodylus moreletii extinction genomic admixture hybridization |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2018.00138/full |
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