Abstract
The Chinese crocodile lizard Shinisaurus crocodilurus is a critically endangered species, listed in Appendix II of CITES. Its populations and habitat in China have undergone significant changes in recent years. Understanding the genetic variability and phylogeography of this species is very important for successful conservation. In this study, samples were taken from 11 wild ponds and two captive populations in China. We sequenced mitochondrial CYTB, partial ND6, and partial tRNA-Glu and genotyped 10 microsatellite loci. Our analyses of these data showed low genetic variability, no strong isolation caused by distance, and a lack of a phylogeographic structure in this species. Based on our results, the basal divergence between two clades of S. crocodilurus in China may have been caused by the formation of the Pearl River system. We found a population expansion in one of these clades. Microsatellite analysis indicated the presence of three clusters, separated by significant genetic differences. We found that most individuals in the two captive populations were from the Luokeng (Guangdong) and Guangxi wild source populations, respectively.
Highlights
The Chinese crocodile lizard, Shinisaurus crocodilurus, was first collected in 1928
Our study shows that S. crocodilurus has low genetic diversity in China and highlights the need for conservation efforts
Previous studies based on morphological characteristics implied a high genetic diversity for S. crocodilurus [29], which may reflect the use of smaller sample sizes and less powerful markers than those used in the present study
Summary
The Chinese crocodile lizard, Shinisaurus crocodilurus, was first collected in 1928. In 1930, Ahl established a new family (Shinisauridae) to accommodate the monotypic genus and species [1]. S. crocodilurus is currently distributed in the east part of the Guangxi (Kwangsi) Zhuang Autonomous Region, the west and north parts of Guangdong province in southern China, and in mountainous areas of northern Vietnam [4,5,6]. The population size of S. crocodilurus has decreased rapidly, and its habitat has been widely destroyed. In the main parts of its distribution, including Jinxiu county, Zhaoping county, and Guiping county, as well as Hexian county in Guangxi (Kwangsi) Zhuang Autonomous Region, S. crocodilurus has suffered 70%–80% population declines. Less than one-third of the populations in these regions are well protected within nature reserves in China, and illegal hunting still occasionally occurs within these areas. The ideal habitat for the crocodile lizards is broadleaf forest, which maintains water flow in streams year round [2]. Natural broadleaf forest has been gradually replaced with more profitable trees such as Illicium verum and tea shrubs
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