title: Phylogeography of the European sturgeon (Acipenser sturio): A critically endangered species.
abstract: The European sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) was once a common species throughout Europe, but the sole remaining natural population presently inhabits the Gironde Estuary in France (Atlantic coast). The species was classified as 'Critically Endangered' in 1996, and the Gironde population is now on the verge of extinction. In this setting, and for the first time, we present the past phylogeographical features of this species throughout Europe along with an assessment of its former genetic diversity. This study was based on a molecular analysis (mtDNA CR sequencing) of 10 living specimens from the Gironde Estuary, 55 museum specimens that had been caught along 19th and 20th centuries, and 59 archaeological remains dating back to 260-5000years BP, from which mitochondrial DNA was extracted and amplified. Although discontinuous, the produced data provided a realistic image of the former structure of A. sturio in Europe. Reconstruction of the phylogenetic trees and haplotypes network led to the identification of several clades. The mitochondrial genetic diversity of this species was found to be much greater at the core (Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean and Adriatic regions) than along the margins (Atlantic-Northern Europe, Black Sea) of its range. A series of hypotheses on the dates and causes of changes in the species' major structures are put forward on the basis of these data. Finally, competition with A. oxyrinchus, a sibling species whose presence in Northern Europe was recently reconsidered, is presented as a major factor in the evolution of this species.
authors.affiliation: Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, CC 065, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 05, France; Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46, allée d'Italie, 69364 Lyon cedex 07, France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chassaing
authors.affiliation: Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, CEPAM, UMR 7264, 06300 Nice, France.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Desse-Berset
authors.affiliation: Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46, allée d'Italie, 69364 Lyon cedex 07, France.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hänni
authors.affiliation: Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46, allée d'Italie, 69364 Lyon cedex 07, France.
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, CC 065, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 05, France. Electronic address: patrick.berrebi@umontpellier.fr.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berrebi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059038:Black Sea; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D056727:Endangered Species; D005399:Fishes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D005602:France; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006239:Haplotypes; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
keywords: Acipenser sturio; Ancient DNA; Critically endangered sturgeon; MtDNA; Phylogeography