Evolutionary history of the two North African hedgehogs (Mammalia: Erinaceidae) Atelerix algirus and Paraechinus aethiopicus based on phylogeography and species distribution modelling

Mohamed Wassim Hizem,Mourad Khaldi,Haithem El-Farhati,Alexis Ribas,Saïd Nouira,Violaine Nicolas

doi:10.3897/vz.71.e70989

Abstract

AbstractTwo species of hedgehogs are known to occur in northern part of Africa: the Algerian hedgehogAtelerix algirusand the Ethiopian hedgehogParaechinus aethiopicus. Within each species several subspecies were described based on morphometrical data and pelage coloration, but all these subspecies have enigmatic and unclear definitions. We investigated the phylogeographical history and taxonomy of these two species based on mitochondrial DNA data covering the entire geographical distribution ofA. algirusand the North African distribution ofP. aethiopicus. We also used climatic niche modelling to make inferences about their evolutionary history. Low genetic diversity was recovered in both species. While no phylogeographic pattern was found inP. aethiopicus, two haplogroups were identified withinA. algirus. This could be explained by the fact that continuous high or moderate climatic suitability occurred throughout most of the Saharan desert since the LGM (Last Glacial Maximum) for the first species, while during the LGM there were several disconnected areas of high climatic suitability forA. algirus: one in South-West Morocco, one at the coastal Moroccan-Algerian border and one in Tunisia-coastal Libya. Our genetic results confirm thatA. algirusrecently colonized Spain, Balearic and Canary Islands, and that this colonization was probably mediated by humans. Suitable climatic conditions occurred throughout most of the Southern and Eastern Iberian Peninsula during the last 6,000 years which could have favored the spatial expansion of the Algerian hedgehog after its arrival in Europe. According to our molecular results subspecific recognition within North Africa is unwarranted for both species.

Highlights

Two species of hedgehogs are known to occur in northern part of Africa (Fig. 1): the North African or Algerian hedgehog Atelerix algirus (Lereboullet, 1842) and the Ethiopian hedgehog Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg, 1832), which can be distinguished based on morphological characteristics (Happold and Happold 2013) and genetic data (He et al 2012; Bannikova et al 2014; Velo-Antón et al 2019)
The aim of this study is to investigate the phylogeographical history and taxonomy of these two species based on improved sampling covering the entire geographical distribution of A. algirus and the North African distribution of P. aethiopicus
While no phylogeographic pattern was found in P. aethiopicus, two haplogroups were identified within A. algirus

Summary

Introduction

Two species of hedgehogs are known to occur in northern part of Africa (Fig. 1): the North African or Algerian hedgehog Atelerix algirus (Lereboullet, 1842) and the Ethiopian hedgehog Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg, 1832), which can be distinguished based on morphological characteristics (Happold and Happold 2013) and genetic data (He et al 2012; Bannikova et al 2014; Velo-Antón et al 2019). The Algerian hedgehog is recorded from North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya), in parts of the Mediterranean coastal regions of Spain, and the Balearic, Canary and Maltese islands (Best 2018). It occurs in coastal dry and warm Mediterranean scrublands and grasslands. According to Hutterer (2005) the Algerian hedgehog comprises three subspecies: A. algirus algirus (Lereboullet, 1842) from North Africa (with four synonyms: caniculus (Thomas, 1915), diadematus (Dobson, 1882), fallax (Dobson, 1882) and lavaudeni (Cabrera, 1928)), A. a. As stated by Hutterer (2005) and by Best (2018) all these subspecies have enigmatic and unclear definitions, and subspecific taxonomy required reassessment

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