Gazelle Species Research Articles

Dietary enrichment and feed preferences of threatened goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) in captivity

Arid-adapted ungulates species, such as gazelles, have faced tremendous population declines in recent decades. Numerous breeding stations were established across Asia and the Middle East to facilitate the captive breeding of endangered gazelle species. We intended to improve the feed quality of goitered gazelle (Gazella subguttorosa) in captivity at the Kızılkuyu Gazelle Breeding Station in Şanlıurfa Province in southern Turkey. In a feed choice experiment, five different types of supplementary feed were offered to the gazelles (black barley, white barley, forage wheat, white barley flake and a combination of black barley and white barley flake). Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between the amount of feed types consumed. The mixture of black barley and white barley flake was the most preferred feed type. Black barley alone was the least preferred feed type, while white barley flake was the second most consumed feed, suggesting that white barley flake was particularly attractive to the gazelles. However, nutrient content analysis revealed no significant difference between feed types. When feed consumption was examined between sampling days, a significant difference was unravelled between day 1, 2, 8 and day 3–7. Results were discussed with respect to improving the gastro-intestinal health of captive gazelles, which is imperative when choosing suitable individuals for reintroduction, which should be in good physical condition to increase the chances for survival in the wild.

Foraging habitat use by sympatric Cuvier’s Gazelle, Dama Gazelle, and Dorcas Gazelle on a private reserve in Morocco

Abstract Habitat use influences the survival and fitness of animals. Habitat quality and food availability in spring and summer are crucial determinants of ungulate population dynamics, peaking in spring and drastically decreasing in summer in Mediterranean region. Here, over a 2-year period we examine foraging habitat use in both spring and summer of 3 threatened gazelle species living in sympatry in a private reserve in Morocco: Cuvier’s Gazelle (Gazella cuvieri), Dama Gazelle (Nanger dama), and Dorcas Gazelle (G. dorcas). We observed differences among species—Cuvier’s Gazelle foraged in woodland, Dama Gazelle in grassland, and Dorcas Gazelle in scrubland—with differences being mediated by seasonal effects as all species broadened their foraging habitat use in summer. We observed differences between years in foraging patterns of Dama Gazelle and Dorcas Gazelle, reflecting greater herb and scrub cover in 2018, potentially related to greater rainfall. Given the seasonal and annual differences observed, reductions in rainfall predicted with the progression of changing climatic conditions in the Mediterranean basin would reduce the availability of food resources and heighten the vulnerability of these species. The study illustrates interspecific coexistence through food resource partitioning of the 3 species, contributing to support conservation management actions of their populations in setting up structured reintroduction programs within their range.

Assessing landscape suitability and connectivity for effective conservation of two semi‐desert ungulates in Iran

AbstractConservation outside conservation areas (CAs) is more challenging due to increased exposure to human‐induced disturbances. Therefore, it is important to identify and designate new CAs that can protect core wildlife habitat patches, as well as key linkages to promote connectivity. We performed this study to identify and prioritize core habitat patches and corridors for two semi‐desert sympatric gazelles in Iran (i.e., goitered gazelle Gazella subgutturosa and jebeer gazelle G. bennettii) in order to propose the expansion of existing CAs. We used an ensemble distribution modeling approach based on three algorithms (random forest, maximum entropy, and generalized boosting models) for habitat suitability assessment and a combination of resistant kernel and factorial least‐cost path analysis for connectivity modeling. Our results revealed that distance to CAs, elevation, and annual mean temperature were the most influential variables for predicting the distribution of the two gazelle species. We identified 12 and six core habitat patches for goitered gazelle and jebeer gazelle, respectively with a minimum area of 210 km2. Core habitat patches were mainly occurred in the north of the central basin of Iran with a high priority for the conservation of both species. CAs protected up to half of core habitat patches for goitered gazelle and one‐third of core habitat patches for jebeer gazelle. Due to human‐induced disturbances (e.g., vehicle collisions and poaching) outside CAs, it is necessary to increase regular monitoring and establish new CAs based on the identified core habitat patches for the two gazelles. Our findings highlight opportunities of designating new CAs for wildlife habitat and corridors conservation and for promoting connectivity by limiting road impacts.

Combined Effects of Clime, Vegetation, Human-Related Land Use and Livestock on the Distribution of the Three Indigenous Species of Gazelle in Eritrea.

The status and habitat selection of the three species of gazelle indigenous to Eritrea, i.e., Nanger soemmerringii, Gazella dorcas and Eudorcas tilonura, are not well known. In this study, we analyzed the present distribution of the three species in the country in order to identify preferred habitats and assess the effect of human disturbance (land use for agricultural purposes and livestock) on species occurrence. These data represent baseline information for evidence-based strategies for conservation of the three species in Eritrea. Presence/absence data of the three species in each of the 67 administrative subregions (Sub Zoba) composing the country were collected using direct (field surveys) and indirect methods (questionnaires). For each sampling unit, we collected fifteen environmental variables, of which three are associated with climatic features, eight with vegetation structure and four with human disturbance (human-related land use and livestock). The occurrence probability of each species was modeled through Generalized Linear Models (GLM). The analyses showed that Dorcas gazelle occurred more frequently in warmer conditions and in a wide range of natural vegetation types. Heuglin's gazelle occurred in warmer regions with higher seasonality in both temperature and precipitation with a preference for closed woody and open grassland areas. In the case of Soemmerring's gazelle, the GLM with climatic variables predicted a preference for warmer conditions but with lower seasonality of temperature and precipitation. The species also seemed to prefer arid and semi-arid open vegetation. Human disturbance is the variable with the strongest, negative, effect on the species occurrence. Indeed, the occurrence probability of each species decreased with increasing livestock density and agricultural land use. Most of these gazelle occurred in unprotected areas, thus the human-related activities are undoubtedly the most important threat for the three species of gazelle in Eritrea. Therefore, the establishment of protected areas that preserve the potential optimal habitats for gazelle and reduce the impact of livestock ranching are essential to ensure a future for these gazelle in Eritrea.

Animal behavior informed by history: Was the Asiatic cheetah an obligate gazelle hunter?

Understanding key ecological adaptations, such as foraging, when a predator is almost extinct is complex. Nonetheless, that information is vital for the recovery of the persisting individuals. Therefore, reviewing historical, ethnobiological and recent records can assist in exploring the species behavioral ecology. We applied this approach to Asiatic cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus), which once roamed most west and central Asian countries but now is confined to a few dozens in Iran, at historical (pre-1970) and recent (post-1970) scales. We addressed a widely popular perception that Asiatic cheetahs were subjected to prey shifts from gazelles (Gazella spp.) in open plains areas to urial (Ovis vignei) in mountains because of gazelle populations declines due to anthropogenic influences. We also quantified recent prey choice of Asiatic cheetahs and their behavioral plasticity in foraging different prey species types. Although ethnobiological and historical records suggested that gazelle species were the main prey for cheetahs across their Asian range. However, urial were also commonly reported to be hunted by cheetahs across their historical Asian range, showing that the predation on mountain ungulates is not an emerging hunting behavior in Asiatic cheetahs. We found spatiotemporal plasticity in recent hunting behavior of cheetahs with selective predation on adult urial males. There was temporal overlap in hunting times for plains dwelling versus mountain ungulates, albeit with some minor differences with morning mostly for gazelles while the predation on mountain ungulates was predominantly post-midday. We provided three management implications for the recovery and restoration of cheetahs in Asia. Our work highlighted the importance of historical studies in informing the behavioral ecology of rare species.

Temporal and spatial distribution of dorcas and slender‐horned gazelles in a Saharan habitat

AbstractSaharan ungulates have suffered from poaching across their range leading to population declines. Low abundance and habitat inaccessibility have limited the availability of empirical data on desert ungulate ecology in the wild. Our objective was to evaluate temporal and spatial distribution, and home‐range sizes of wild dorcas gazelles (Gazella dorcas) and slender‐horned gazelles (Gazella leptoceros) under natural conditions using observations from 14,398 camera‐days collected between April 2019 and October 2021 in the 7,700‐ha fenced area of Jbil National Park (Jbil NP), Tunisia. We individually identified gazelles in Jbil NP using unique horn morphology. Both gazelle species exhibited nocturnal activity patterns in summer, but diurnal activity patterns dominated in winter. We also detected both species more frequently in the plains than in mountains. Water presence was influential in determining distribution only for dorcas gazelles. Minimum convex polygons (MCPs) were 2,062 ha for both the male and female of the most frequently detected dorcas gazelle pair and 1,527 ha for another solitary male. For slender‐horned gazelles, MCPs were 2,280 ha and 2,041 ha, respectively, for a male and a female detected in Jbil NP. The decline and rarity of gazelles in the Sahara Desert have limited the sample size of our observed populations. Our study provides hitherto unknown data on wild populations of rapidly declining gazelle species and contributes to ongoing conservation efforts.

Gazelles (Gazellaspp.) depicted in frescoes and sculpture from Herculaneum and Pompeii

Paintings and sculptures depicting gazelles ( Gazella spp.) are frequent in Ancient Roman art. Images of gazelles have been discovered during the archaeological explorations of Herculaneum and Pompeii, devastated by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in ad 79. Two bronze statues of ungulates from the Villa of the Papyri, Herculaneum, now on display at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (National Archaeological Museum of Naples), have not been correctly identified, consequently causing erroneous speculation about their cultural significance. The aim of this paper is to suggest which gazelle species inspired these artefacts, and to also discuss the wider context of the artistic representations of gazelles from Herculaneum and Pompeii and their surroundings.

Goitered Gazelle Gazella subgutturosa Responded to Human Disturbance by Increasing Vigilance Rather than Changing the Group Size.

Simple SummaryWild animals perceive nonlethal human activities as a potential threat, and they respond to human disturbances in a variety of ways: changes in group size and time-investment on vigilance are common behaviors. In China, nature reserves are generally divided into three functional zones: the core zone, the buffer zone, and the experimental zone, which represent low, medium, and high human disturbance levels, respectively. However, mining developments in the three zones pose threats to goitered gazelle living in the Kalamaili Nature Reserve, China. In this study, we found that human disturbances have larger effects on smaller-sized, single-sex groups rather than larger-sized, mixed-sex groups. Goitered gazelle spend more time being vigilant in the experimental zone than in the other two zones. In the experimental zone, a greater linear decrease with respect to group size was observed. Our results indicate that intensive human disturbances in the core and buffer zones brought goitered gazelle and humans closer together, which induced changes in vigilance and grouping patterns of this social species. Ultimately, this may have negative effects on the fitness and survival of the species.Nonlethal human disturbances have been confirmed to have a negative effect on wildlife in a variety of ways, including on behaviors. In many studies, the impact of human disturbances on gregarious species of wildlife is assessed through changes in their social organization and vigilance. In our study in the Kalamaili Nature Reserve, China, we wanted to estimate the impacts of differing levels of human disturbances on two different group types (mixed-sex and all-male) of goitered gazelle, Gazella subgutturosa, living in three functional zones (experimental, buffer, and core zones), which represent high, medium, and low human disturbance levels, respectively. In addition, we studied the time spent vigilant as a function of group size with different levels of human disturbances in the three zones. In general, mixed-sex gazelle groups were of similar sizes in the three different zones, while all-male groups slightly differed in their sizes between the experimental and buffer zones. This may indicate that human disturbances have varying effects on the different group types, with smaller-sized, single-sex groups being more significantly affected by human disturbances than larger-sized, mixed-sex groups. Goitered gazelle showed higher vigilance levels in the experimental zone than in the two other zones. A trend of decreasing vigilance varying linearly with group size was also found in the three zones, and the rate of decrease was higher in the experimental zone. Increased habitat fragmentation and human activities brought goitered gazelle and humans closer together in the core zone. Therefore, stopping mining activities and returning the reserve to a continuous habitat with fewer environmental disturbances is the best way to establish and protect a stable population of this endangered species of gazelle.

Gazella arabica dareshurii: a remarkable relict population on Farur Island, Iran

BackgroundThe islands in the Persian Gulf are home to several species of gazelles, i.e., Gazella bennettii, G. subgutturosa, and a new subspecies of Mountain gazelles which was discovered on Farur Island and described for the first time in 1993 as Gazella gazella dareshurii. Later, phylogenetic analyses showed that the Mountain gazelles consist of two species: G. gazella and G. arabica. As the Farur gazelles are more closely related to the Arabian forms of the Mountain gazelles, this subspecies is regarded to be G. arabica dareshurii. Until now, the origin of this subspecies has been an enigma.ResultsHere, we used mitochondrial cyt b, two nuclear introns (CHD2 and ZNF618), and morphological data to address this question by investigating the taxonomic position of the Farur gazelles. The results show that this population is monophyletic and split from other G. arabica populations probably 10,000 BP.ConclusionsIt is a natural relict population that was trapped on the island due to the rising sea levels of the Persian Gulf after the Last Glacial Maximum. Intermittent drought and flooding are suggested to be the main factors balancing population growth in the absence of natural predators on this monsoon-influenced island. Conservation actions should focus on preserving the natural situation of the island (cease introducing mesquite tree and other invasive species, stop building new construction and roads, and caution in providing water sources and forage), and possibly introducing individuals to other islands (not inhabited by gazelles) or to fenced areas on the Iranian mainland (strictly isolated from other gazelle populations) when the population reaches the carrying capacity of the island.

Effect of Season and Social Environment on Semen Quality and Endocrine Profiles of Three Endangered Ungulates (Gazella cuvieri, G. dorcas and Nanger dama).

Simple SummaryGood-quality sperm samples are needed for the development and implementation of sperm cryopreservation, in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination. These reproductive biotechnologies play an important role in the conservation and management of domestic and wild species. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of seasonality and social environment on sperm quality in three endangered gazelles: Cuvier’s, dorcas and Mohor gazelles. Periods of better sperm quality were related with higher conception rates in Cuvier’s and Mohor gazelles but not in dorcas. Cuvier’s gazelle showed higher sperm quantity in April and Mohor gazelle in April and August and correlated with environmental data. In dorcas gazelle, a drop in sperm quality was observed in October. Housing conditions did not affect sperm quality in Cuvier’s and Mohor gazelles, whereas dorcas males housed with females showed lower semen quality than males kept alone or with males. Considering these results could improve the success of reproductive biotechnologies in these three species.Knowledge of factors affecting semen quality could be of great importance for the collection and preservation of semen from threatened animals. To assess the effect of seasonality, sperm parameters and testosterone levels were examined throughout the year and compared with the distribution of conceptions. Cuvier’s gazelle showed higher sperm quantity in April, coinciding with one peak of conceptions. In dorcas gazelle, sperm parameters showed a drop in October. However, percentage of conceptions increased during that month. In Mohor gazelle, sperm quality was best in April and August, in agreement with higher conception rates and high testosterone levels. Percentage of conceptions was correlated with photoperiod and rainfall in Cuvier’s gazelle and with temperature in Mohor gazelle. To assess the effect of social environment, semen quality, testosterone and cortisol levels were quantified in males housed alone, in bachelor groups or with females. No differences were seen in Cuvier’s and Mohor gazelles’ semen traits, whereas dorcas males housed with females showed lower semen quality than males kept alone or with other males. Overall, ejaculate quality is influenced by seasonal factors in the three gazelle species, while social factors only appear to affect that of dorcas gazelle.

Late Miocene gazelles (Bovidae, Antilopini) from fossil localities in Western and Northwest Iran

The first detailed systematic analysis of the mammal fossils from Dimeh, a new locality in the Zagros basin of Iran, is presented here. The fossil material studied includes cranial remains mostly horn cores of gazelles. Along with these fossils, some new gazelle material recovered from the renowned fossil localities of the middle Maragheh biostratigraphic levels in northwest Iran are also described. The fossils are attributed to three species: Gazella capricornis, G. cf. pilgrimi and Gazella aff. mytilinii. The last two species are recorded for the first time in Iran. The co-occurrence of the first two taxa in the Dimeh assemblage, together with other bovids, suggests a paleobiological spectrum more similar to the Samos fauna in Greece. The two gazelle species also indicate the presence of open environments in the Zagros area around 8–7 Ma (early-middle Turolian).

Vicariance followed by secondary gene flow in a young gazelle species complex.

Grant's gazelles have recently been proposed to be a species complex comprising three highly divergent mtDNA lineages (Nanger granti, N. notata and N. petersii). The three lineages have nonoverlapping distributions in East Africa, but without any obvious geographical divisions, making them an interesting model for studying the early‐stage evolutionary dynamics of allopatric speciation in detail. Here, we use genomic data obtained by restriction site‐associated (RAD) sequencing of 106 gazelle individuals to shed light on the evolutionary processes underlying Grant's gazelle divergence, to characterize their genetic structure and to assess the presence of gene flow between the main lineages in the species complex. We date the species divergence to 134,000 years ago, which is recent in evolutionary terms. We find population subdivision within N. granti, which coincides with the previously suggested two subspecies, N. g. granti and N. g. robertsii. Moreover, these two lineages seem to have hybridized in Masai Mara. Perhaps more surprisingly given their extreme genetic differentiation, N. granti and N. petersii also show signs of prolonged admixture in Mkomazi, which we identified as a hybrid population most likely founded by allopatric lineages coming into secondary contact. Despite the admixed composition of this population, elevated X chromosomal differentiation suggests that selection may be shaping the outcome of hybridization in this population. Our results therefore provide detailed insights into the processes of allopatric speciation and secondary contact in a recently radiated species complex.

Morphological diversity and ecological niche divergence in goitered and sand gazelles.

The phylogeny and species boundaries of Gazella subgutturosa and G. marica have been long debated. The achievements of past conservation efforts have been compromised by a lack of knowledge about the phylogeny and taxonomic status of different populations. We integrated the recent genetic findings by previous studies with morphometric analyses and ecological niche modeling (ENM) to assess discreteness among populations of these gazelle species in Asia. Taxonomic diversity of gazelles was investigated by using principal components analysis (PCA) based on 14 cranial measures of male skulls. Ecological niche divergence was examined based on a PCA on climatic factors and a species distribution modeling (SDM) with environmental variables. Morphometric results indicated substantial differentiation in size between skulls of the western Zagros Mountains including west and south‐western Iran and Arabian Peninsula from all other samples east of the Zagros Mountains from Iran to China. ENM also revealed that gazelles in the east and west of Zagros Mountains occupy distinct niches and that there are apparent areas of disconnection across the goitered gazelle suitable range. A complete divergent niche occupation was also observed between goitered gazelles of northern Mongolia and other populations of the species, except those in China. Taking the inferences from ENM and morphology together with previous genetics results, we conclude that gazelles in the west and south‐west of Iran may represent G. marica. Also, our combined analyses revealed divergence among gazelles of Iran, Central Asia, and Mongolia/China. These results may pave the way for future studies and have conservation implications particularly for reintroduction/supplementation programs.

Repeated hybridization of two closely related gazelle species (Gazella bennettii and Gazella subgutturosa) in central Iran.

Interspecific hybridization increasingly occurs in the course of anthropogenic actions, such as species translocations and introductions, and habitat modifications or occurs in sympatric species due to the shortage of conspecific mates. Compared with anthropogenically caused hybridization, natural hybridization is more difficult to prove, but both play an important role in conservation. In this study, we detected hybridization of two gazelle sister species, Gazella bennettii (adapted to dry areas) and Gazella subgutturosa (adapted to open plains), in five habitat areas, where G. bennettii naturally occur in central Iran. The hybrids have a nuclear genomic identity (based on two introns), habitat preference, and phenotype of G. bennettii, but the mitochondrial identity (based on cyt b) of G. subgutturosa. We suggest that natural hybridization of female G. subgutturosa and male G. bennettii happened twice in central Iran in prehistoric times, based on the haplotype pattern that we found. However, we found indications of recent hybridization between both species under special circumstances, for example, in breeding centers, due to translocations, or in areas of sympatry due to the shortage of conspecific mates. Therefore, these two species must be kept separately in the breeding centers, and introduction of one of them into the habitat of the other must be strictly avoided.

Genetic Diversity of Gazelles (Gazella marica and Gazella gazella) in Southeast Turkey: A Special Emphasis on Ongoing Conservation Studies of Gazella marica in Turkey

Objective: The genetic diversity parameters for gazelle populations sampled in Turkey were estimated to assess the effects of captive breeding on the populations’ gene pools and effective population sizes. Materials and Methods: Four individuals from a recently discovered Gazella gazella population in Hatay and two captive gazelle populations were sampled (the Kizilkuyu State Farm (n=48) and the Erikce State Farm (n=25)) and analyzed using nuclear DNA, mtDNA and Y-chromosome markers. Results: The mtDNA cyt-b partial sequence analysis assigned the Erikce and Kizilkuyu samples to Gazella marica. The structure analysis differentiated significantly between them, and revealed samples originating from wild population. Both, the Y-chromosome INRA126 locus sequences of Gazella gazella and Gazella marica males and the mtDNA partial cyt-b region RFLP analysis from all the samples distinguished the two gazelle species from each other. Based on microsatellites, the estimated effective population sizes were 9.7, 8.9 and 6.4 for the Kizilkuyu, Erikce and Hatay populations, respectively. When the Kizilkuyu and Erikce populations (where severe inbreeding depressions seems to be occurring already) were pooled, the estimated Ne was 24.5. All these estimates were too small for the sustainability of either individual or pooled populations in the wild or even in captivity. Conclusion: The markers used in the study provided information on two of the gazelle species (Gazella marica, and Gazella gazella): their species identity, degree of divergences, effective population sizes and the presence of admixture within the populations. These results turned out to be invaluable in terms of their contribution to future studies for the conservation of these species.

Factors driving Arabian gazelles (Gazella arabica) in Israel to extinction: time series analysis of population size and juvenile survival in an unexploited population

Wild populations of Arabian gazelles (Gazella arabica) were once common on the Arabian Peninsula, but today disappeared from large parts of their former range. In Israel only a small population of currently 30 individuals survived, although it was—and still is—well protected from illegal hunting and habitat destruction. In our study we aimed to identify the factors influencing the population growth of G. arabica in Israel over the last two decades (1995–2017). We tested the impact of five environmental variables including annual mean maximum temperature, rainfall, the availability of two major food plants, competition with sympatric dorcas gazelle (G. dorcas) and predation (mainly by wolves) on two dependent variables relating to population viability (population size, percentage fawn survival) using a retrospective time series analysis. After testing for autocorrelations, two generalized least squares (GLS) models with autocorrelations at 3 and 6 years [GLS-AR(3, 6)] were identified as the best models to explain environmental effects on populations size. Wolf encounter rate had a significant negative effect on G. arabica population size, while G. dorcas population size had a significant positive effect, suggesting that wolf predation shapes the population size of both gazelle species. For percentage fawn survival, model residuals did not reveal any significant autocorrelation and the best fit GLS-AR(0) model retained only wolf encounter rate and mean annual maximal temperature as significant predictors. This result suggests a strong impact of wolf predation and increasing temperatures on the fawn survival of Arabian gazelles. Changed rainfall patterns, food availability and competition between gazelle species had no impact on fawn survival.

First data on the seasonal diet of the vulnerable Gazella cuvieri (Mammalia: Bovidae) in the Djebel Messaâd forest, northern Algeria

A good knowledge of food resource utilization is essential to understand how most wild ungulates meet their seasonal requirements in order to improve conservation of endangered taxa. Using faecal sampling, the diet of Gazella cuvieri has was investigated in the Djebel Messaâd Mountain (M'sila Province, Algeria) from September 2013 to August 2014. A microhistological analysis method revealed that gazelles ate 29 species of plants during the year. The grass Stipa tenacissima and the shrub Artemisia herba alba were the major food items throughout the year. The highest diversity was recorded in spring (17 taxa) despite a large consumption of Helianthemum lippii, the lowest in a dry summer (nine species), including the major consumption of the shrubs Phillyrea media and Thymus algeriensis, together with Artemisia herba alba, Stipa tenacissima and Stipa parviflora. An average relative numerical abundance of 50.5 % of the diet comprised shrubs and trees, mainly including A. herba alba, T. algeriensis and Cistus libanotis. Grasses and forbs accounted for 29.4 % and 20.1 % respectively. Based on this study, this gazelle species can be classified as an intermediate feeder (i.e. browser-grazer).

Low genetic diversity in the vulnerable Goitred Gazelle, Gazella subgutturosa (Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae), in Iran: potential genetic consequence of recent population declines

The Goitered Gazelle, Gazella subgutturosa, is the most widespread gazelle species in the Middle East and central Asia inhabiting desert and semi-desert habitats. Today it is threatened and its geographic range and population size have experienced significant decline in the last decades. In Iran, the remnant populations are confined to fragmented habitats. We aimed to characterise genetic diversity and phylogenetic status of the populations of Goitered Gazelle in Central Iran and to evaluate the potential effect of a historic population bottleneck on the genetic variation of today’s population. We used noninvasive sampling to uncover structure and level of genetic variation in a fragment of the cytochrome-b gene from 170 samples. Genealogical analyses were performed using HKY+I model and phylogenetic trees reconstructed using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood. We found extremely low levels of genetic variation, with altogether only five haplotypes in samples from different populations. Overall haplotype diversity was 0.081 and nucleotide diversity 0.0003. The mean observed mismatch between any two sequences was 0.093 with the largest peak for small numbers. The mismatch distribution fit the model of population expansion and suggested that gazelles had experienced a sudden expansion. An unrooted median-joining network analysis of mtDNA haplotypes showed a star-like structure which few mutations steps separating the haplotypes from other regions. Our findings strengthen the urgency of preserving the species’ genetic diversity to prevent local extinction.

Mammals in the economy of ancient Porphyreon (Lebanon)

An archaeozoological analysis of mammal remains recovered from the dwelling units and streets of ancient Porphyreon excavated in 2009, 2010 and 2012, gives insight into the importance of mammals for the residents of this quarter in succeeding periods: from the Iron Age through the Persian and Hellenistic periods to Byzantine times. Husbandry lay at the base of the animal economy and was supplemented with hunting various species of gazelle. Cattle, sheep and goat were the most numerous livestock species represented in the archaeological record. The high percentage of cattle observed in Iron Age deposits could have resulted from the agricultural lifestyle of the population. Starting from the Persian period, sheep and goat played the most prominent role in the animal economy, implying a pastoral model of husbandry. Raising goats for meat was more significant initially; from the Hellenistic period onwards, the number of sheep reared for milk and wool increased. Pigs constituted a minor percentage of the livestock. The presence of equid remains, including horse and donkey, was confirmed for the Persian period, when these animals were used for transportation.

The first record of mitochondrial haplotypes of Gazella marica (Artiodactyla, Bovidae) in wild populations in Iran

Iran with its highly structured landscape, such as the Zagros Mountain Range that stretches across the country from East to West, is home to at least three different gazelle species. For some of them, intraspecific genetic patterning is to be expected, as different populations show different pelage coloration or body sizes, e.g., in the Persian gazelle (G. subgutturosa). This species is especially interesting due to its taxonomic history, as it was considered to be conspecific with sand gazelle (G. marica) from Arabia until recently. G. marica and G. subgutturosa were even thought to intergrade/hybridize in a broad region from the Euphrates/Tigris basin to the Zagros Mountains. This area is inhabited by small gazelles that seem to be intermediate in size and other characters between the two species. However, so far all molecular studies showed that the mitochondrial haplotypes of gazelles in this supposed hybrid zone only belong to G. subgutturosa. We collected samples from four populations of Persian gazelles in Iran, in the eastern part of the Zagros Mountains. In two of these locations, we found mitochondrial haplotypes of G. marica, including one potentially pure natural population in Bushehr Province, and one reintroduced mixed population with G. marica and G. subgutturosa haplotypes in Khuzestan Province. It might therefore be possible that G. marica, which is phenomically most similar to G. subgutturosa, exits in Iran as a fourth gazelle species besides G. subgutturosa, G. bennettii, and G. arabica. We strongly recommend that future conservation management decisions, especially animal translocations, should be based on genetic analyses of the populations under consideration.