Mitochondrial Control Region Sequences Research Articles

Looking back to go forward: genetics informs future management of captive and reintroduced populations of the black-footed rock-wallaby Petrogale lateralis

Active management is essential to the survival of many threatened species globally. Captive breeding programmes can play an important role in facilitating the supplementation, translocation and reintroduction of wild populations. However, understanding the genetic dynamics within and among wild and captive populations is crucial to the planning and implementation of ex situ management, as adaptive potential is, in part, driven by genetic diversity. Here, we use 14 microsatellite loci and mitochondrial Control Region sequence to examine the population genetics of both wild populations and captive colonies of the endangered warru (the MacDonnell Ranges race of the black-footed rock-wallaby Petrogale lateralis) in central Australia, to understand how historical evolutionary processes have shaped current diversity and ensure effective ex situ management. Whilst microsatellite data reveal significant contemporary differentiation amongst remnant warru populations, evidence of contemporary dispersal and relatively weak isolation by distance, as well as a lack of phylogeographic structure suggests historical connectivity. Genetic diversity within current captive populations is lower than in the wild source populations. Based on our genetic data and ecological observations, we predict outbreeding depression is unlikely and hence make the recommendation that captive populations be managed as one genetic group. This will increase genetic diversity within the captive population and as a result increase the adaptive potential of reintroduced populations. We also identify a new site in the Musgrave Ranges which contains unique alleles but also connectivity with a population 6 km away. This novel genetic diversity could be used as a future source for supplementation.

Phylogeography and population structure of - grypotus (Richardson, 1846) as revealed by mitochondrial control region sequences.

The 137 individuals of Johnius grypotus were collected from seven localities from the Bohai Sea to the East China Sea. A 549 base pair (bp) fragment of the hypervariable region of the mtDNA control region was sequenced to examine genetic diversity and population structure. The populations of J. grypotus showed high haplotype diversity (h) with a range from 0.7500 to 0.9740 and low nucleotide diversity (π) with a range from 0.0024 to 0.0067. Low and non-significant genetic differentiation was estimated among populations except for North Yellow Sea population, which has a significant genetic difference with other populations. The demographic history examined by mismatch distribution analyses and Bayesian skyline plot (BSP) analyses revealed that a sudden population expansion occurred almost 20 to 40 thousand years before. Relatively recent population expansion in the last glacial period, large dispersal of eggs or larvae carried by coastal current, and the homogeneity of living environment may have an important influence on the population genetic pattern.

Genetic effects of released swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus) on wild populations inferred from mitochondrial control region sequences

Along the coast of Shandong Province in China, an extensive hatchery-release programme has been conducted for more than 10 years. However, no information has been reported concerning the long-term effects on the wild population resulting from the release of large numbers of juveniles in Portunus trituberculatus. In this study, sequence variation of swimming crab P. trituberculatus based on the mitochondrial control region was investigated for 946 swimming crabs at the releasing sites from 2012 to 2014. The result showed that the wild P. trituberculatus was characterized by high genetic diversity indices, and not significantly different from the previous study. Low FST values were estimated among the groups of different years and different sites, which suggested no genetic differentiation found in the wild population after the stock enhancement programme. Hence, the long-term extensive hatchery release programme has not affected the genetic structure of wild P. trituberculatus populations along the coast of Shandong Province.

Phylogeographic studies of schizothoracine fishes on the central Qinghai-Tibet Plateau reveal the highest known glacial microrefugia

Pleistocene climatic oscillations have greatly influenced the evolutionary history and distribution pattern of most extant species. However, their effects on species on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) are not well understood. To investigate the effects of past climatic shifts, particularly the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), on plateau fish, we analysed the phylogeographic structure and demographic history of five closely related taxa of the subfamily Schizothoracinae, a representative endemic taxon of the QTP, from nine endorheic lakes on the central QTP and three peripheral exorheic rivers using the mitochondrial control region (D-loop) sequence and 12 microsatellite (SSR) markers. Phylogram from D-loop haplotypes revealed two well-supported lineages (North and South) separated by the Tanggula Mountains. The results from the D-loop and SSR revealed that endorheic populations possess high genetic diversity and a unique genetic structure. The most recent demographic expansion occurred post-LGM for most endorheic populations and in the last interglacial period for Siling Co and all exorheic populations. Phylogeographic structure, together with species distribution modelling, supports the scenario of multiple glacial refugia on the QTP during the LGM and suggests that Siling Co (4540 m asl) is a cryptic glacial microrefugia for plateau fish, which would be the highest glacial microrefugia known.

Low mitochondrial diversity in native Italian pig breeds is consistent with the occurrence of strong population bottlenecks.

In this study, we have analysed the variation of 81 Italian pigs from the Calabrese, Casertana, Cinta Senese, Sarda and Nero Siciliano breeds as well as 54 Italian wild boars by using a dataset of mitochondrial control region sequences generated by us and others. Diversity parameters were rather low in Italian native pigs, with haplotype and nucleotide diversities ranging between 0.35-0.79 and 0.0013-0.0061, respectively. This result is consistent with the strong population bottlenecks that traditional Italian breeds have suffered due to competition with more productive foreign pig varieties. Moreover, median-joining network analysis showed that the majority of Italian pig sequences are distributed in two main clusters and that all of them belong to the E1 haplogroup. Conversely, Italian wild boars were more diverse than their domestic counterparts and they harboured the E1 and E2 haplogroups. The absence of the E2 haplogroup in Italian pigs and its moderate frequency in wild boars might suggest that this haplogroup was rare at the time that wild boars were domesticated in Italy.

Mechanisms of peripheral phylogeographic divergence in the indo-Pacific: lessons from the spiny lobster Panulirus homarus

BackgroundThere is increasing recognition of the concordance between marine biogeographic and phylogeographic boundaries. However, it is still unclear how population-level divergence translates into species-level divergence, and what are the principal factors that first initiate that divergence, and then maintain reproductive isolation. This study examines the likely forces driving population and lineage divergences in the broadly-distributed Indo-Pacific spiny lobster Panulirus homarus, which has peripheral divergent lineages in the west and east. The study focuses particularly on the West Indian Ocean, which is emerging as a region of unexpected diversity. Mitochondrial control region (mtCR) and COI sequences as well as genotypes of 9 microsatellite loci were examined in 410 individuals from 17 locations grouped into 7 regions from South Africa in the west, and eastward across to Taiwan and the Marquesas Islands. Phylogenetic and population-level analyses were used to test the significance and timing of divergences and describe the genetic relationships among populations.ResultsAnalyses of the mtCR revealed high levels of divergence among the seven regions (ФST = 0.594, P < 0.001). Microsatellite analyses also revealed significant divergence among regions, but at a much lower level (FST = 0.066, P < 0.001). The results reveal different patterns of mtCR v. nDNA divergence between the two distinct peripheral lineages: a subspecies in South Africa and Madagascar, and a phylogeographically diverged population in the Marquesas. The results also expose a number of other more fine-scale population divergences, particularly in the Indian Ocean.ConclusionsThe divergence of peripheral lineages in the west and east of the species’ range appear to have been initiated and maintained by very different processes. The pattern of mitochondrial and nuclear divergence of the western lineage, implicates processes of parapatric isolation, secondary contact and introgression, and suggests possible maintenance through adaptation and behavioural reproductive isolation. In contrast, the eastern lineage appears to have diverged through a rare colonisation event, maintained through long-term isolation, and matches expectations of the core-periphery hypothesis. The process of active peripheral speciation may be a common force in the Indo-Pacific that helps drive some of the regions’ recognized biogeographic boundaries.

Molecular phylogeny and phylogeography of genus Pseudois (Bovidae, Cetartiodactyla): New insights into the contrasting phylogeographic structure.

Blue sheep, Pseudois nayaur, is endemic to the Tibetan Plateau and the surrounding mountains, which are the highest‐elevation areas in the world. Classical morphological taxonomy suggests that there are two subspecies in genus Pseudois (Bovidae, Artiodactyla), namely Pseudois nayaur nayaur and Pseudois nayaur szechuanensis. However, the validity and geographic characteristics of these subspecies have never been carefully discussed and analyzed. This may be partially because previous studies have mainly focused on the vague taxonomic status of Pseudois schaeferi (dwarf blue sheep). Thus, there is an urgent need to investigate the evolutionary relationship and taxonomy system of this genus. This study enriches a previous dataset by providing a large number of new samples, based on a total of 225 samples covering almost the entire distribution of blue sheep. Molecular data from cytochrome b and the mitochondrial control region sequences were used to reconstruct the phylogeny of this species. The phylogenetic inferences show that vicariance plays an important role in diversification within this genus. In terms of molecular dating results and biogeographic analyses, the striking biogeographic pattern coincides significantly with major geophysical events. Although the results raise doubt about the present recognized distribution range of blue sheep, they have corroborated the validity of the identified subspecies in genus Pseudois. Meanwhile, these results demonstrate that the two geographically distinct populations, the Helan Mountains and Pamir Plateau populations, have been significantly differentiated from the identified subspecies, a finding that challenges the conventional taxonomy of blue sheep.

Genetic studies in the recently divergent Eligmodontia puerulus and E. moreni (Rodentia, Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae) from Puna and Monte deserts of South America

Eligmodontia is a genus of phyllotine rodents adapted to arid environments with seven recognized species. The sister species E. puerulus and E. moreni are distributed in the adjacent highland Puna and lowland Monte deserts respectively, and show remarkable morphological and chromosomal differences. However, analyses of the cytochrome b gene showed important variability, without reciprocal monophyly between them. In order to study the evolutionary processes involved in the diversification of both taxa, we analyzed 1161bp of the mitochondrial control region and flanking sequences (N=60), as well as 759bp of the first exon of the nuclear gene IRBP (N=14). Individuals of both species from Jujuy, Catamarca and Mendoza Provinces of Argentina were previously karyotyped. Results showed that the mitochondrial sequences present high haplotype and nucleotide diversity within all population, and no haplotype was shared between both species. FST indicated that populations of both species were moderately structured. The network was constituted by two major haplogroups, one composed by E. puerulus samples from Jujuy, and the other composed of sequences of all studied populations. The Bayesian analysis showed three clusters, matching the network. Phylogenetic analysis recovered two clades with high support, in coincidence with the network groups. There was only one close join between sequences of both species, corresponding to samples from Catamarca. Thus, mitochondrial data suggested hybridization between both species in Catamarca, with asymmetric introgression. The IRBP showed low variability and, in the phylogenetic analysis, the sequences of E. puerulus form a monophyletic group with intermediate support, whereas those of E. moreni collapse into a basal polytomy. Our data indicated a recent divergence and absence of introgression in the nuclear genomes. The results at the population level with mitochondrial sequences, together with integrative taxonomy at the species level in a biogeographic context, suggest that climatic and geologic changes could have had an important role in the determination of genetic variability patterns observed in these rodents.

The presence of Balkan and Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus) mitochondrial DNA lineages in the Carpathian Basin

Changes in the distributional range of European red deer (Cervus elaphus) during the Quaternary and the recolonization of Europe from different refugia, created a clear phylogeographical pattern. In Central Europe, two distinct – Iberian and Balkan – lineages of European red deer are present; however, this suture zone has not yet been studied in detail. The sequences of the complete mitochondrial control region were used to investigate the genetic structure of the red deer in the Carpathian Basin, a region where both lineages are expected to be present. We sequenced the complete control region of 96 red deer samples, discovered 39 haplotypes, and found high levels of haplotype diversity (H=0.806 for the southwestern and H=0.954 for the northeastern population). We discovered a high number of haplotypes belonging to both lineages, as well as unique haplotypes, which do not fit into described haplotypes. This is in accordance with previous assumptions that the Carpathian Basin is a suture zone between the Iberian and the Balkan red deer haplogroups.

Ancient mitochondrial DNA and ancestry of Paquimé inhabitants, Casas Grandes (A.D. 1200-1450).

The Casas Grandes (Paquimé) culture, located in the Northwest of Chihuahua, Mexico reached its apogee during the Medio Period (A.D. 1200-1450). Paquimé was abandoned by the end of the Medio Period (A.D. 1450), and the ancestry of its inhabitants remains unsolved. Some authors suggest that waves of Mesoamerican immigrants, possibly merchants, stimulated Paquimé's development during the Medio Period. Archaeological evidence suggests possible ties to groups that inhabited the Southwestern US cultures. This study uses ancient DNA analysis from fourteen samples to estimate genetic affinities of ancient Paquimé inhabitants. DNA was extracted from 14 dental ancient samples from Paquimé. PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to obtain mitochondrial control region sequences. Networks, PCoA, and Nei genetic distances were estimated to compare Paquimé haplotypes against available past haplotypes data from Southwestern and Mesoamerican groups. Haplogroups were characterized for 11 of the samples, and the results revealed the presence of four distinct Amerindian mitochondrial lineages: B (n = 5; 45%), A (n = 3; 27%), C (n = 2; 18%) and D (n = 1; 10%). Statistical analysis of the haplotypes, haplogroup frequencies, and Nei genetic distances showed close affinity of Paquimé with Mimbres. Although our results provide strong evidence of genetic affinities between Paquimé and Mimbres, with the majority of haplotypes shared or derived from ancient Southwest populations, the causes of cultural development at Paquimé still remain a question. These preliminary results provide evidence in support of other bioarchaeological studies, which have shown close biological affinities between Paquimé and Mimbres, a Puebloan culture, in the Southwestern US.

Insular East Asia pig dispersal and vicariance inferred from Asian wild boar genetic evidence.

The Formosan wild boar () is an endemic subspecies in Taiwan. Understanding the origins and spread of the Formosan wild boar could help clarify East Asian wild boar dispersion. Although in situ domestication of the wild boar occurred at a number of domestication centers across East Asia, corroborating archaeological and genetic evidence of pig domestication on Taiwan is lacking, leading to domestication being described as cryptic. This characterization applies to the Lanyu pig-a domestic pig breed found on Taiwan. To better understand pig domestication, this study examines the sympatric Formosan wild boar and domestic Lanyu pig to build a model of potential wild boar domestication on Taiwan and elucidate wild boar domestication patterns in the region. To this end, a comprehensive phylogenetic study of the Formosan wild boar and the Lanyu pig was conducted on animals sourced from Taiwan, Lanyu, and the Philippines. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using full mitochondrial control-region sequences from 345 wild boars and domestic pigs. These were studied in concert with existing reports on 206 Asian wild boars. Genetic characteristics and Bayesian phylogenetic tree results identified 2 wild boar lineages of remote phylogenetic relationship. These were Formosan wild boar lineage (FWBL) and Formosan wild boar with Lanyu sign lineage (FWBLYL). Molecular clock analyses indicate that FWBLYL diverged earlier than other insular East Asia wild boars and show that FWBLYL and FWBL diverged approximately 0.60 million years ago. This result supports boars of FWBLYL being the earliest wild boars to have spread and become isolated in insular East Asia. In addition, the study proposes 6 Asian wild boar dispersion routes during glacial periods. At least 3 of these events occurred in insular East Asia with subsequent geographical isolation after glacial recession. This isolation potentially led to allopatric differentiation of wild boar subspecies. Also, the similar genetic signature and phylogenetic uniqueness of Lanyu pigs to wild boars of FWBLYL suggests such wild boars were the wild ancestor of domestic Lanyu pigs. This result indicates potential in situ domestication occurring on Taiwan. Finally, pigs possessing FWBLYL's genetic signatures were continuously distributed among Taiwan, Lanyu, and the Philippines. This pattern may signify human-mediated pig dispersal routes.

Genetic population structure and historic demography of Indian mackerel, Rastrelliger kanagurta from Indian peninsular waters

An attempt was conducted to understand the genetic population structure and historic demography of Indian mackerel, Rastrelliger kanagurta from Indian peninsular waters using mitochondrial DNA markers. A total of 241 sequences of mitochondrial control region and 271 sequences of mitochondrial ATPase gene region were amplified and analyzed in Indian mackerels collected from 10 different locations along Indian coast resulting in 123 and 155 haplotypes respectively. In addition, control region sequences representing samples from Thailand downloaded from NCBI were also used for analysis. Significant genetic differentiation (ΦST value of 0.38; P<0.001) was recorded between samples from mainland India, Portblair and Thailand when both control region and ATPase gene sequences were analyzed. Whilst, ΦST values were not significant when analyses were carried out between samples collected from mainland India. Oceanographic and environmental barriers between mainland India, Portblair and Thailand contribute to limited larval dispersal and restricted mixing between populations resulting in subtle genetic differentiation. The lack of genetic subdivision between populations from mainland India indicates adequate gene flow and mixing within Indian waters. Bayesian skyline plots revealed a history of population expansion taken place approximately 10000 years ago coinciding with the time after the last glacial maximum or early Holocene. Intensification of monsoon events after the last glacial maximum or early Holocene along the Indian subcontinent contributed to increased productivity in the Tropical Indian Ocean and consequent demographic expansion of mackerel populations historically. Management measures for Indian mackerel populations could be devised regionally so as to conserve intra-specific diversity and biocomplexity of this important resource.

Mitochondrial DNA reveals historical maternal lineages and a postglacial expansion of the grey seal in European waters

ABSTRACT: Three different evolutionarily significant units (ESU) can be discerned in the grey seal Halichoerus grypus: in the northwest Atlantic, the northeast Atlantic and the Baltic Sea. The northeast Atlantic population has been strongly affected by hunting around the European mainland, where it is only in the last decades that breeding colonies have reappeared. The southernmost settlement of the northeast Atlantic ESU is found in the Molene archipelago, northwest France. We studied polymorphisms of the mitochondrial control region (MCR) in grey seals sampled along the Atlantic coast of France for over a decade. MCR polymorphisms highlighted the existence of 4 major MCR haplogroups. Comparison of MCR sequences with those in the GenBank database yielded highly significant differentiation between grey seals sampled in France and grey seals originating from the North Sea and the north and east of the British Isles, as well as from the Baltic Sea. MCR haplogroups were also identified in Baltic Sea grey seals, with some being in common with our samples, while others were not. The times of separation between the MCR haplogroups were estimated to be between 84000 and 20500 years ago, and differentiation between Baltic Sea and French coast haplotypes was estimated to have occurred approximately 8000 years ago. These data, added to positive expansion signals, suggest that MCR haplogroups correspond to ancestral maternal lineages, isolated in different grey seal refugia during the last ice age and prior to the expansion of the species in the North Atlantic and the separation between the East Atlantic and the Baltic Sea ESUs.

Population structure and genetic diversity of Sinibrama macrops from Ou River and Ling River based on mtDNA D-loop region analysis, China

In order to understand the influence of human activities such as habitat fragmentation on freshwater fish population evolution, we investigated and compared the genetic diversity and phylogeography of Sinibrama macrops populations in the Oujiang River and Ling River. Mitochondrial control region sequences (D-loop region) of 131 specimens from six populations were obtained and analyzed. The diversity of main stream in the Ou River was lower than that in Ling River. Changtan population showed the lowest diversity (H = 0.646 ± 0.077; π = 0.00060 ± 0.00820). Pairwise FST, gene flow (Nm), and genetic distance (Da) indicated that Longquan and Changtan significantly differentiate from other populations. Nested clade phylogeographical analysis (NCPA) showed some clades and total cladogram experienced isolation by distance. In conclusion, the populations from severely fragmented Ou River have the lower diversity and more intense differentiation than that from the mainstream of Ling River, Changtan population present the lowest diversity and were isolated by the dam construction.

A Mainly Circum-Mediterranean Origin for West Eurasian and North African mtDNAs in Puerto Rico with Strong Contributions from the Canary Islands and West Africa.

Maternal lineages of West Eurasian and North African origin account for 11.5% of total mitochondrial ancestry in Puerto Rico. Historical sources suggest that this ancestry arrived mostly from European migrations that took place during the four centuries of the Spanish colonization of Puerto Rico. This study analyzed 101 mitochondrial control region sequences and diagnostic coding region variants from a sample set randomly and systematically selected using a census-based sampling frame to be representative of the Puerto Rican population, with the goal of defining West Eurasian-North African maternal clades and estimating their possible geographical origin. Median-joining haplotype networks were constructed using hypervariable regions 1 and 2 sequences from various reference populations in search of shared haplotypes. A posterior probability analysis was performed to estimate the percentage of possible origins across wide geographic regions for the entire sample set and for the most common haplogroups on the island. Principal component analyses were conducted to place the Puerto Rican mtDNA set within the variation present among all reference populations. Our study shows that up to 38% of West Eurasian and North African mitochondrial ancestry in Puerto Rico most likely migrated from the Canary Islands. However, most of those haplotypes had previously migrated to the Canary Islands from elsewhere, and there are substantial contributions from various populations across the circum-Mediterranean region and from West African populations related to the modern Wolof and Serer peoples from Senegal and the nomad Fulani who extend up to Cameroon. In conclusion, the West Eurasian mitochondrial ancestry in Puerto Ricans is geographically diverse. However, haplotype diversity seems to be low, and frequencies have been shaped by population bottlenecks, migration waves, and random genetic drift. Consequently, approximately 47% of mtDNAs of West Eurasian and North African ancestry in Puerto Rico probably arrived early in its colonial history.

Population structure of elongate ilisha Ilisha elongata along the Northwestern Pacific Coast revealed by mitochondrial control region sequences

The elongate ilisha Ilisha elongata is an economically important species broadly distributed from the Western Pacific to the Java Sea off Sarawak. The fishery of elongate ilisha has been declining in recent years in terms of total catch, size of harvested fish, as well as absence of the fish from previously distributed areas. The knowledge about population structure and genetic diversity of elongate ilisha is important for managing sustainable fisheries. Only two studies have investigated the population genetics of elongate ilisha but both with limited sampling. In the present study, we sampled 16 sites from the coast of China, Korea and Japan. We sequenced the whole mitochondrial control region (D-loop), which showed a remarkably high polymorphism. The average haplotype diversity was 0.98 and the nucleotide diversity (π) was 0.006. Neutrality tests suggested past population expansions. Populations were weakly differentiated (Φ ST = 0.0612). This result, together with a lack of association between clades and locations (R 2 = 0.0591), indicated a weak population structure of the elongate ilisha. The only exception was from the population of Dandong in the West Korean Bay, which was different from all other populations in its D-loop sequence. We did not find genetic differences between the fish with a bottom-sword caudal fin and the fish with a double-sword caudal fin.

Effects of dam structures on genetic diversity of freshwater fish Sinibrama macrops in Min River, China

In order to explore the effect of different dam structures on the genetic diversity of freshwater fish, the genetic diversity of Sinibrama macrops in Min River was investigated using mitochondrial control region (D-loop) sequences. Populations of S. macrops at Jianyang and Shaowu rivers were separated from the rest of the system by low dams and the population at Gutian was isolated from the rest of the river by a high dam. The haplotype diversity in the samples analyzed varied from 0.577 to 0.933 and nucleotide diversity varied from 0.0031 to 0.00441. The lowest values of haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity were obtained from Gutian. Indices of genetic differentiation between populations, gene flow, analysis of molecular variance and net genetic distance between populations showed widespread gene exchange among different populations, with the exception of Gutian and Yongtai. These results may be associated with the isolation of Gutian by the high dam. The result of neutrality test and mismatch distributions showed that the evolutionary history of Gutian population was different from others in the river system. Our results imply that high dams have a larger effect on S. macrops, leading to reduction of genetic diversity and genetic differentiation from other populations.

Stock Origin of the Leatherback Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) Found in the Vicinity of Japan Revealed by mtDNA Haplotypes

Abstract: We determined sequences of mitochondrial control region of 16 specimens of the leatherback turtles, Dermochelys coriacea, collected in the vicinity of Japan, and estimated stock origin of Japanese migrants. As a result, we found three haplotypes (JD1, 2, and 3) in these specimens, and 14 specimens possessed JD1. In comparison with previously reported sequences, JD1 and 2 were identical to a single haplotype endemic to West Pacific stock in New Guinea and Solomon Islands, whereas JD3 was identical to a haplotype nearly endemic to Malaysian stock. Our results indicate that most of the leatherbacks foraging around Japan originate in West Pacific stock, and a few may migrate from the Malaysian nesting population.

Natural and anthropogenic influences on the population structure of white‐tailed eagles in the Carpathian Basin and central Europe

European populations of the white‐tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla suffered a drastic decline during the 20th century. In many countries, only a few dozen breeding pairs survived or the species disappeared completely. By today, the populations have recovered, naturally or through restocking (e.g. in Scotland or the Czech Republic). In the Carpathian Basin, which is now a stronghold in southern Europe for the species in the southern part of the distribution range with more than 500 breeding pairs, only about 50 pairs survived the bottleneck. This region provides important wintering places for individuals arriving from different regions of Eurasia. In the present study, we investigated 249 DNA samples from several European countries, using 11 microsatellites and mitochondrial control region sequences (499 bp), to answer two main questions: 1) did the Carpathian Basin population recover through local population expansion or is there a significant gene flow from more distant populations as well? 2) Does the Czech population show signs in its genetic structure of the restocking with birds of unknown origin? Our microsatellite data yielded three genetically separate lineages within Europe: northern, central and southern, the latter being present exclusively in the Carpathian Basin. Sequencing of mitochondrial DNA revealed that there is one haplotype (B12) which is not only exclusive to the Carpathian Basin but it is frequent in this population. Our results suggest that in accordance with the presumably philopatric behaviour of the species, recovery of the Carpathian Basin population was mainly local, but some of the wintering birds coming from the northern and central populations contributed to its genetic composition as well. We detected considerably higher proportions of northern birds within the Czech Republic compared to the neighbouring areas, making it likely that parents of the reintroduced birds came from northern populations.

A Recent Stranding of Omura’s Whale (Balaenoptera omurai) in Western Australia

Omura's whale ( Balaenoptera omurai ), described in 2003, is a putatively rare rorqual species known mostly from waters in the lower latitudes of the Indo-Pacific. A small (5.68 m) baleen whale that stranded near Exmouth on the northwestern coast of Australia in March 2015 was initially thought to be a small Omura's whale (although unknown for the area) or a Bryde's whale ( B. brydei ). Morphological assessment showed the whale had a strongly falcate, steeply angled dorsal fin characteristic of Omura's whale and a slightly prominent single median ridge but was smaller in size than was typical for Omura's whale. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial control region sequences from the whale against other reference baleen species showed our specimen nested within sequences from Omura's whale with high bootstrap support and was clearly separate from sequences of Bryde's whale, thus confirming the limited morphological identification of the specimen as Omura's whale. The carcass was in good condition with no obvious signs of trauma, and assessment revealed the animal was recently deceased. Lack of decomposition and no injury suggested it was likely to have been alive at the time of stranding and to have been occupying inshore waters prior to being washed ashore. Confirmation of an Omura's whale in Western Australian waters extends knowledge of its distribution southwards in the eastern Indian Ocean, suggesting further survey in these waters may provide more information on this poorly known species.