Genetic divergence and units for conservation in the Komodo dragon Varanus komodensis

Ciofi, Claudio, Beaumont, Mark A., Swingland, I. R. and Bruford, Michael William ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6357-6080 1999. Genetic divergence and units for conservation in the Komodo dragon Varanus komodensis. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 266 (1435) , pp. 2269-2274. 10.1098/rspb.1999.0918

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Abstract

In the past decade much attention has focused on the role that genetics can play in the formation of management strategies in conservation. Here, we describe genetic diversity in the world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), examining the evolutionary relationships and population genetic history of the four islands in south-east Indonesia, which form the vast majority of its range. We identify distinct genetic groups for conservation. The population on the island of Komodo shows by far the largest values of genetic divergence and is proposed that it should be a separate conservation management unit. Other populations, surviving either on small islands with substantially reduced genetic variability, or in isolated patches, are identified as particularly vulnerable to stochastic threats and habitat loss. Our results provide an example of how data defining intraspecific levels of genetic divergence can provide information to help management plans, ensure the maintenance of genetic variability across populations and identify evolutionary potential within endangered species.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Biosciences Sustainable Places Research Institute (PLACES)
Subjects:	Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology Q Science > QH Natural history > QH426 Genetics
Publisher:	Royal Society
ISSN:	0962-8452
Last Modified:	06 Jan 2024 02:57
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/65160

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