Genetic Variability and Kinship Analyses of Seized Red-Browed Amazon, Amazona rhodocorytha (Aves, Psittacidae)

Abstract

Analyzing genetic variability and kinship relations is essential to guide conservation management plans for threatened species. The Red-browed Amazon (Amazona rhodocorytha) is one of the four Amazona parrots that are endemic to remnants of the Atlantic Forest, classified as Vulnerable (IUCN) owing to habitat loss and fragmentation and trapping for the illegal pet trade. At the end of 2021, 19 Red-browed Amazons were rescued from illegal trade in the Espírito Santo state, Brazil, including 14 nestlings reportedly captured in the Sooretama Biological Reserve, which provided the first opportunity to address the genetic parameters of a wild population of this threatened parrot. We used Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) data to assess the genetic diversity and kinship relations between the rescued birds. We observed high heterozygosity levels and low inbreeding coefficients. Principal Component Analysis revealed the presence of at least two distinct genetic groups, suggesting past isolation followed by secondary contact. Our results suggest that the population from Sooretama is an important genetic and demographic repository of the Red-browed Amazon, and the presence of individuals from the two genetic lineages in the same area reduces concerns about potential inbreeding depression in rehabilitation and reintroduction plans and also inspires further investigations on historical and contemporary population structuring.