title: Preliminary study of the genetic diversity of eastern Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis assamensis) in Thailand based on mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite markers.
abstract: Human overpopulation, deforestation, invasion of agricultural areas, and livestock are the primary causes for population fragmentation of wildlife. The distribution range of species of the genus Macaca is constantly decreasing and becoming increasingly fragmented due to forest deterioration. Assamese macaques (M. assamensis) are classified as near threatened in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Animals (2008) and have been declared a protected wildlife animal according to Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act, B.E.2535 (1992) of Thailand. As studies of the population history and genetic diversity of Assamese macaques in Thailand are currently lacking, we aimed at a first investigation of their genetic diversity based on mitochondrial DNA [hypervariable regions 1 and 2 (HV1, HV2) and cytochrome B (CYTB) regions], as well as 15 microsatellite markers of five sampling sites distributed across Thailand. Our results indicate that Assamese macaques in Thailand are diverse, with eight maternal haplotypes and a low inbreeding coefficient in the Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary (PKWS) population. Moreover, our phylogenetic and median-joining network analysis based on mitochondrial (mt)DNA suggests a population distribution in accordance with the evolutionary scenario proposed for M. sinica. Today, the population of Assamese macaques is fragmented, and conservation strategies are needed to ensure the maintenance of genetic diversity of this primate species.
authors.affiliation: Center for Agricultural Biotechnology, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, 73140, Thailand.|Center of Excellence on Agricultural Biotechnology: (AG-BIO/PERDO-CHE), Bangkok, 10900, Thailand.
authors.forename: Manakorn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sukmak
authors.affiliation: Primate Research Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Suchinda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malaivijitnond
authors.affiliation: Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Schülke
authors.affiliation: Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ostner
authors.affiliation: Evolutionary Morphology Section, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuzuru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, 73140, Thailand. fvetwww@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Worawidh
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wajjwalku
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions / Q000235:genetics; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D008251:Macaca / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D045303:Cytochromes b
keywords: Macaca assamensis; Median-joining network; Microsatellites; Phylogenetic; mtDNA