Genome-Wide SNPs Detect Hybridisation of Marsupial Gliders (Petaurus breviceps breviceps × Petaurus norfolcensis) in the Wild.

Monica L Knipler,Mark Dowton,Katarina Maryann Mikac

doi:10.3390/genes12091327

Abstract

Petaurus breviceps and Petaurus norfolcensis have produced hybrids in captivity, however there are no reported cases of Petaurus hybridisation in the wild. This study uses morphological data, mitochondrial DNA, and nuclear genome-wide SNP markers to confirm P. breviceps breviceps × P. norfolcensis hybridisation within their natural range on the central coast of New South Wales, Australia. Morphological data identified a potential hybrid that was confirmed with next-generation sequencing technology and 10,111 genome-wide SNPs. Both STRUCTURE and NewHybrid analyses identified the hybrid as a P. norfolcensis backcross, which suggests an initial F1 hybrid was fertile. The mitochondrial DNA matched that of a P. b. breviceps, indicating that a P. b. breviceps female initially mated with a P. norfolcensis male to produce a fertile female offspring. Our study is an important example of how genome-wide SNPs can be used to identify hybrids where the distribution of congeners overlaps. Hybridisation between congeners is likely to become more frequent as climate changes and habitats fragment, resulting in increased interactions and competition for resources and mates.

Highlights

There are documented cases of Australian mammal hybridisation in captivity where parental pairings are known, but there is limited evidence of it occurring in the wild [1,2,3].Mammal hybridisation was historically thought to be a rare occurrence in the wild, this perspective has started to shift as advances in next-generation sequencing technology provide fresh insights through genomics [4,5,6]
We examined a region of eastern Australia where P. b. breviceps and P. norfolcensis are known to coexist in the wild
Ninety-one individuals were identified as P. b. breviceps and 87 individuals were identified as P. norfolcensis based on morphological data

Summary

Introduction

There are documented cases of Australian mammal hybridisation in captivity where parental pairings are known, but there is limited evidence of it occurring in the wild [1,2,3].Mammal hybridisation was historically thought to be a rare occurrence in the wild, this perspective has started to shift as advances in next-generation sequencing technology provide fresh insights through genomics [4,5,6]. There are documented cases of Australian mammal hybridisation in captivity where parental pairings are known, but there is limited evidence of it occurring in the wild [1,2,3]. Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have successfully detected hybrids in wild populations of canids [7], and has been used to detect hybridisation in other vertebrates such as Australian frogs [8]. Not all hybrids reach maturity and those that do can be infertile [11]. This can be detrimental in small populations where infertile hybrids can take away resources and mates from a threatened species

Results

Discussion

Conclusion