Abstract
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) has been described as a species with low levels of genetic variation. This has been suggested to be the consequence of a demographic bottleneck 10 000–12 000 years ago (ya) and also led to the assumption that only small genetic differences exist between the described subspecies. However, analysing mitochondrial DNA and microsatellites in cheetah samples from most of the historic range of the species we found relatively deep phylogeographic breaks between some of the investigated populations, and most of the methods assessed divergence time estimates predating the postulated bottleneck. Mitochondrial DNA monophyly and overall levels of genetic differentiation support the distinctiveness of Northern-East African cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii). Moreover, combining archaeozoological and contemporary samples, we show that Asiatic cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) are unambiguously separated from African subspecies. Divergence time estimates from mitochondrial and nuclear data place the split between Asiatic and Southern African cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) at 32 000–67 000 ya using an average mammalian microsatellite mutation rate and at 4700–44 000 ya employing human microsatellite mutation rates. Cheetahs are vulnerable to extinction globally and critically endangered in their Asiatic range, where the last 70–110 individuals survive only in Iran. We demonstrate that these extant Iranian cheetahs are an autochthonous monophyletic population and the last representatives of the Asiatic subspecies A. j. venaticus. We advocate that conservation strategies should consider the uncovered independent evolutionary histories of Asiatic and African cheetahs, as well as among some African subspecies. This would facilitate the dual conservation priorities of maintaining locally adapted ecotypes and genetic diversity.
Highlights
At the end of the nineteenth century, cheetahs were widespread across Africa and much of Asia, ranging from the Indian peninsula to Kazakhstan and Southwest Asia (Pocock 1939; Durant et al 2008)
Mitochondrial DNA monophyly and overall levels of genetic differentiation support the distinctiveness of Northern-East African cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii)
The highest numbers of polymorphic sites (n = 7) were detected within cheetahs originating from Southern Africa and East Africa, respectively, whereas Northern-East African and Asiatic cheetahs showed lower amounts of mitochondrial polymorphism (n = 3 and n = 2, respectively)
Summary
At the end of the nineteenth century, cheetahs were widespread across Africa and much of Asia, ranging from the Indian peninsula to Kazakhstan and Southwest Asia (Pocock 1939; Durant et al 2008). Anthropogenic habitat modification, replacement of wild prey with livestock and concomitant persecution by people (Laurenson 1994; Durant et al 2008; Marker et al 2008) account for the dramatic decline in historical range and numbers (Caro & Laurenson 1994). While it is unclear if Asiatic populations ever reached the density of their African counterparts, historical records report large numbers of cheetahs in Asia until the nineteenth century. Comprehensive data regarding the relationships among all African subspecies and between African and Asiatic cheetah populations are still lacking
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