The origin, current diversity and future conservation of the modern lion ( Panthera leo )

Author:

Barnett Ross1,Yamaguchi Nobuyuki2,Barnes Ian3,Cooper Alan4

Affiliation:

1. Henry Wellcome Ancient Biomolecules Centre, Department of Zoology, University of OxfordSouth Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK

2. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of OxfordTubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Abingdon OX13 5QL, UK

3. Department of Biology, University College LondonDarwin Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK

4. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of AdelaideDarling Building DP 418, SA 5005, Australia

Abstract

Understanding the phylogeographic processes affecting endangered species is crucial both to interpreting their evolutionary history and to the establishment of conservation strategies. Lions provide a key opportunity to explore such processes; however, a lack of genetic diversity and shortage of suitable samples has until now hindered such investigation. We used mitochondrial control region DNA (mtDNA) sequences to investigate the phylogeographic history of modern lions, using samples from across their entire range. We find the sub-Saharan African lions are basal among modern lions, supporting a single African origin model of modern lion evolution, equivalent to the ‘recent African origin’ model of modern human evolution. We also find the greatest variety of mtDNA haplotypes in the centre of Africa, which may be due to the distribution of physical barriers and continental-scale habitat changes caused by Pleistocene glacial oscillations. Our results suggest that the modern lion may currently consist of three geographic populations on the basis of their recent evolutionary history: North African–Asian, southern African and middle African. Future conservation strategies should take these evolutionary subdivisions into consideration.

Publisher

The Royal Society

Subject

General Agricultural and Biological Sciences,General Environmental Science,General Immunology and Microbiology,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,General Medicine

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