title: Genetic diversity and population demography of the Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) in China.
abstract: The Chinese crocodile lizard Shinisaurus crocodilurus is a critically endangered species, listed in Appendix II of CITES. Its populations and habitat in China have undergone significant changes in recent years. Understanding the genetic variability and phylogeography of this species is very important for successful conservation. In this study, samples were taken from 11 wild ponds and two captive populations in China. We sequenced mitochondrial CYTB, partial ND6, and partial tRNA-Glu and genotyped 10 microsatellite loci. Our analyses of these data showed low genetic variability, no strong isolation caused by distance, and a lack of a phylogeographic structure in this species. Based on our results, the basal divergence between two clades of S. crocodilurus in China may have been caused by the formation of the Pearl River system. We found a population expansion in one of these clades. Microsatellite analysis indicated the presence of three clusters, separated by significant genetic differences. We found that most individuals in the two captive populations were from the Luokeng (Guangdong) and Guangxi wild source populations, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Province, College of Life Science, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China; Guangdong Entomological Institute/South China Institute of Endangered Animals, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Huayuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Entomological Institute/South China Institute of Endangered Animals, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Entomological Institute/South China Institute of Endangered Animals, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Linmiao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Province, College of Life Science, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China.
authors.forename: Zhengjun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Entomological Institute/South China Institute of Endangered Animals, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jinping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D005843:Geography; D008116:Lizards / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial