title: Conservation genetics of the Philippine tarsier: cryptic genetic variation restructures conservation priorities for an island archipelago primate.
abstract: Establishment of conservation priorities for primates is a particular concern in the island archipelagos of Southeast Asia, where rates of habitat destruction are among the highest in the world. Conservation programs require knowledge of taxonomic diversity to ensure success. The Philippine tarsier is a flagship species that promotes environmental awareness and a thriving ecotourism economy in the Philippines. However, assessment of its conservation status has been impeded by taxonomic uncertainty, a paucity of field studies, and a lack of vouchered specimens and genetic samples available for study in biodiversity repositories. Consequently, conservation priorities are unclear. In this study we use mitochondrial and nuclear DNA to empirically infer geographic partitioning of genetic variation and to identify evolutionarily distinct lineages for conservation action. The distribution of Philippine tarsier genetic diversity is neither congruent with expectations based on biogeographical patterns documented in other Philippine vertebrates, nor does it agree with the most recent Philippine tarsier taxonomic arrangement. We identify three principal evolutionary lineages that do not correspond to the currently recognized subspecies, highlight the discovery of a novel cryptic and range-restricted subcenter of genetic variation in an unanticipated part of the archipelago, and identify additional geographically structured genetic variation that should be the focus of future studies and conservation action. Conservation of this flagship species necessitates establishment of protected areas and targeted conservation programs within the range of each genetically distinct variant of the Philippine tarsier.
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Rafe M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Weghorst
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Karen V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.
authors.forename: Mariano R M
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Duya
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Barley
authors.affiliation: Diliman Science Research Foundation Inc., University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.
authors.forename: Melizar V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Duya
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of EcoScience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Myron
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shekelle
authors.affiliation: Thomas Glen Erin Animal Hospital, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Neri-Arboleda
authors.affiliation: Museum of Natural Science & Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jacob A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Esselstyn
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America.
authors.forename: Nathaniel J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Dominy
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.
authors.forename: Perry S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America.
authors.forename: Gillian L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Moritz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luczon
authors.affiliation: University of Santo Tomas, Espana, Manila, Philippines.
authors.forename: Mae Lowe L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Diesmos
authors.affiliation: Herpetology Section, Zoology Division, Philippine National Museum, Ermita, Manila, Philippines.
authors.forename: Arvin C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Diesmos
authors.affiliation: Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History and Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America.
authors.forename: Cameron D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Siler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D056426:Genetic Loci; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D010679:Philippines; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016699:Tarsiidae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial