Genetic diversity and population history of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) as inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequence variations

B. Su, Y. Fu, Y. Wang, L. Jin, R. Chakraborty

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

74 Scopus citations

Abstract

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is one of the flagship species in worldwide conservation and is of special interest in evolutionary studies due to its taxonomic uniqueness. We sequenced a 236-bp fragment of the mitochondrial D-loop region in a sample of 53 red pandas from two populations in southwestern China. Seventeen polymorphic sites were found, together with a total of 25 haplotypes, indicating a high level of genetic diversity in the red panda. However, no obvious genetic divergence was detected between the Sichuan and Yunnan populations. The consensus phylogenetic tree of the 25 haplotypes was starlike. The pairwise mismatch distribution fitted into a pattern of populations undergoing expansion. Furthermore, Fu's Fs test of neutrality was significant for the total population (Fs = -7.573), which also suggests a recent population expansion. Interestingly, the effective population size in the Sichuan population was both larger and more stable than that in the Yunnan population, implying a southward expansion from Sichuan to Yunnan.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1070-1076
Number of pages7
JournalMolecular Biology and Evolution
Volume18
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2001

Keywords

  • D-loop
  • Mitochondrial DNA
  • Neutrality test
  • Population expansion
  • Red panda
  • Sequence diversity

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Genetic diversity and population history of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) as inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequence variations'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this