title: Distinct and diverse: range-wide phylogeography reveals ancient lineages and high genetic variation in the endangered okapi (Okapia johnstoni).
abstract: The okapi is an endangered, evolutionarily distinctive even-toed ungulate classified within the giraffidae family that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The okapi is currently under major anthropogenic threat, yet to date nothing is known about its genetic structure and evolutionary history, information important for conservation management given the species' current plight. The distribution of the okapi, being confined to the Congo Basin and yet spanning the Congo River, also makes it an important species for testing general biogeographic hypotheses for Congo Basin fauna, a currently understudied area of research. Here we describe the evolutionary history and genetic structure of okapi, in the context of other African ungulates including the giraffe, and use this information to shed light on the biogeographic history of Congo Basin fauna in general. Using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis of mainly non-invasively collected samples, we show that the okapi is both highly genetically distinct and highly genetically diverse, an unusual combination of genetic traits for an endangered species, and feature a complex evolutionary history. Genetic data are consistent with repeated climatic cycles leading to multiple Plio-Pleistocene refugia in isolated forests in the Congo catchment but also imply historic gene flow across the Congo River.
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: David W G
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Stanton
authors.affiliation: Lukuru Foundation, Projet Tshuapa-Lomami-Lualaba (TL2), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galbusera
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Helsen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shephard
authors.affiliation: Conservation Programmes, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Noëlle F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Kümpel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jinliang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ewen
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Bruford
mesh_terms: D025041:Animal Migration; D000818:Animals; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D056727:Endangered Species; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D051456:Gene Flow; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D014644:Genetic Variation; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D045483:Rivers; D012418:Ruminants / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial