Phylogeography, taxonomy, and conservation of the endangered brown howler monkey, Alouatta guariba (Primates, Atelidae), of the Atlantic Forest

• Autores: Oklander, Luciana Inés; Fernández, Gabriela Paula; Machado, Stela; Caputo, Mariela; Hirano, Zelinda M. B.; Rylands, Anthony B.; Neves, Leonardo G.; Mendes, Sérgio L.; Pacca, Luciana G.; de Melo, Fabiano R.; Mourthé, Italo; Freitas, Thales R. O.; Corach, Daniel; Jerusalinsky, Leandro; Bonatto, Sandro L.
• Año de publicación: 2024
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: mtdna; microsatelite; Platyrrhini; primates
• Institución: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

The brown howler, Alouatta guariba, endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil and Argentina, is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting, and its susceptibility to yellow fever. Two subspecies have been recognized, but their names, validity, and geographic ranges have been controversial. We obtained samples covering the species' entire distribution in Brazil and Argentina to clarify these issues by investigating their genetic diversity and structure and assessing their evolutionary history. We analyzed, for the first time, a set of ten microsatellite markers (N = 153), plus mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) segments of the control region (N = 207) and cytochrome b gene (N = 116). The microsatellite data support two to three genetic clusters with biological significance. The southern populations (Argentina, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul) presented a homogeneous genetic component, and populations from São Paulo (SP) to the north presented another component, although most presented ∼20% of the southern component. With K = 3, SP emerged as a third component while sharing some ancestry with Rio de Janeiro and Argentina. The mtDNA phylogenies revealed three main clades that diverged almost simultaneously around 250 thousand years ago (kya). Clades A and B are from central SP to the north and east, while clade C is from SP to the south and southwest. Samples from SP presented haplotypes in all three clades, sometimes in the same population. The demographic history of the species estimated with the Bayesian skyline plot of the mtDNA showed a strong expansion ∼40–20 kya and a strong reduction over the last ∼4–2 kya. Although the genetic clusters identified here deserve appropriate management strategies as conservation units, the absence of (i) concordance between the mtDNA and microsatellite data, (ii) reciprocal monophyly in the mtDNA, and (iii) clear-cut non-genetic diagnostic characters advises against considering them as different taxonomic entities. None of the previous taxonomic proposals were corroborated by our data. Our results elucidate the taxonomy of the Atlantic Forest brown howler, indicating it should be considered a monotypic species, A. guariba. We also clarify the evolutionary history of the species regarding its intraspecific genetic diversity, which is crucial information for its conservation and population management.
Fil: Oklander, Luciana Inés. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Servicio de Huellas Digitales Genéticas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; Argentina
Fil: Fernández, Gabriela Paula. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Servicio de Huellas Digitales Genéticas; Argentina
Fil: Machado, Stela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Servicio de Huellas Digitales Genéticas; Argentina
Fil: Caputo, Mariela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Servicio de Huellas Digitales Genéticas; Argentina
Fil: Hirano, Zelinda M. B.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Servicio de Huellas Digitales Genéticas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Rylands, Anthony B.. No especifíca;
Fil: Neves, Leonardo G.. No especifíca;
Fil: Mendes, Sérgio L.. Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlântica; Brasil
Fil: Pacca, Luciana G.. Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade; Brasil
Fil: de Melo, Fabiano R.. Universidade Federal de Viçosa; Brasil
Fil: Mourthé, Italo. Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil
Fil: Freitas, Thales R. O.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil
Fil: Corach, Daniel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Jerusalinsky, Leandro. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil
Fil: Bonatto, Sandro L.. Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil