title: Reassessing the evolutionary history of ass-like equids: insights from patterns of genetic variation in contemporary extant populations.
abstract: All extant equid species are grouped in a single genus - Equus. Among those, ass-like equids have remained particularly unstudied and their phylogenetic relations were poorly understood, most probably because they inhabit extreme environments in remote geographic areas. To gain further insights into the evolutionary history of ass-like equids, we have used a non-invasive sampling approach to collect representative fecal samples of extant African and Asiatic ass-like equid populations across their distribution range and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing analyses to examine intraspecific genetic diversity and population structure, and to reconstruct phylogenetic relations among wild ass species/subspecies. Sequence analyses of 410 base pairs of the fast evolving mtDNA control region identified the Asiatic wild ass population of Kalamaili (China) as the one displaying the highest diversity among all wild ass populations. Phylogenetic analyses of complete cytochrome b sequences revealed that African and Asiatic wild asses shared a common ancestor approximately 2.3Mya and that diversification in both groups occurred much latter, probably driven by climatic events during the Pleistocene. Inferred genetic relationships among Asiatic wild ass species do not support E. kiang monophyly, highlighting the need of more extensive studies in order to clarify the taxonomic status of species/subspecies belonging to this branch of the Equus phylogeny. These results highlight the importance of re-assessing the evolutionary history of ass-like equid species, and urge to extend studies at the population level to efficiently design conservation and management actions for these threatened species.
authors: Research Centre for Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, R. Padre Armando Quintas 7, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal.
authors: Sónia
authors: S
authors: Rosenbom
authors: Research Centre for Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, R. Padre Armando Quintas 7, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal.
authors: Vânia
authors: V
authors: Costa
authors: Research Centre for Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, R. Padre Armando Quintas 7, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, Yunnan Province, China.
authors: Shanyuan
authors: S
authors: Chen
authors: Research Centre for Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, R. Padre Armando Quintas 7, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; Mohitban Society, 5 Mitra Alley, Shariati Street, Tehran 1963816163, Iran.
authors: Leili
authors: L
authors: Khalatbari
authors: Research Centre for Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, R. Padre Armando Quintas 7, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; Mohitban Society, 5 Mitra Alley, Shariati Street, Tehran 1963816163, Iran.
authors: Gholam Hosein
authors: GH
authors: Yusefi
authors: Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China.
authors: Ablimit
authors: A
authors: Abdukadir
authors: College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Tibet University, Linzhi 860000, Tibet, China.
authors: Chamba
authors: C
authors: Yangzom
authors: Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority, PO Box 817, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors: Fanuel
authors: F
authors: Kebede
authors: Ministry of Agriculture, PO Box 1048, Asmara, Eritrea.
authors: Redae
authors: R
authors: Teclai
authors: Ministry of Agriculture, PO Box 1048, Asmara, Eritrea.
authors: Hagos
authors: H
authors: Yohannes
authors: Ministry of Agriculture, PO Box 1048, Asmara, Eritrea.
authors: Futsum
authors: F
authors: Hagos
authors: IUCN/SSC Equid Specialist Group, Box 2031, Arusha, Tanzania, and EcoHealth Alliance, New York, USA.
authors: Patricia D
authors: PD
authors: Moehlman
authors: Research Centre for Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, R. Padre Armando Quintas 7, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre S/N FC4, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: albanobp@fc.up.pt.
authors: Albano
authors: A
authors: Beja-Pereira
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002681:China; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D056727:Endangered Species; D018397:Equidae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006239:Haplotypes; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D045303:Cytochromes b
keywords: African wild ass; Asiatic wild ass; Equus; Evolutionary history; Genetic diversity; Noninvasive DNA