Abstract
The gibbon family belongs to the superfamily Hominoidea and includes 15 species divided into four genera. Each genus possesses a distinct karyotype with chromosome numbers varying from 38 to 52. This diversity is the result of numerous chromosomal changes that have accumulated during the evolution of the gibbon lineage, a quite unique feature in comparison with other hominoids and most of the other primates. Some gibbon species and subspecies rank among the most endangered primates in the world. Breeding programs can be extremely challenging and hybridization plays an important role within the factors responsible for the decline of captive gibbons. With less than 500 individuals left in the wild, the northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys leucogenys, NLE) is the most endangered primate in a successful captive breeding program. We present here the analysis of an inversion that we show being specific for the northern white-cheeked gibbon and can be used as one of the criteria to distinguish this subspecies from other gibbon taxa. The availability of the sequence spanning for one of the breakpoints of the inversion allows detecting it by a simple PCR test also on low quality DNA. Our results demonstrate the important role of genomics in providing tools for conservation efforts.
Highlights
Gibbons are small arboreal apes, which belong, together with humans and great apes, to the superfamily of Hominoidea
In this study we present the analysis of a chromosomal inversion that differentiates the northern white-cheeked gibbon (NLE) from the other gibbon taxa
Many breeding and conservation centers have difficulties in identifying which gibbon species or subspecies that they house, and in determining which individual gibbon would benefit in their breeding program
Summary
Gibbons (family Hylobatidae) are small arboreal apes, which belong, together with humans and great apes, to the superfamily of Hominoidea. The family has been divided into four major clades, which were recognized as four subgenera [5] and eventually elevated to four genera [3,6,7] This division takes into account the fact that species within each of the four major clades share a number of characteristics, most importantly a distinctive diploid chromosome number [2,3,8]: Hoolock (2n = 38), Hylobates (2n = 44), Symphalangus (2n = 50) and Nomascus (2n = 52). At least for crested gibbon taxa, a clear branching pattern following a north to south axis is depicted by mitochondrial sequence data [9]
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