Phylogeographical structure and demographic expansion in the endemic alpine stream salamander (Hynobiidae: Batrachuperus) of the Qinling Mountains.

ABSTRACT: The Qinling Mountains of China provide an excellent study area for assessing the effect of Pleistocene climatic oscillations and paleogeological events on intraspecific diversification. To assess genetic diversity of an endemic stream salamander, Batrachuperus tibetanus, for its conservation, a phylogeographical survey was performed based on mitochondrial DNA and morphological data. The mitochondrial data revealed three lineages of B. tibetanus in the Qinling Mountains. A lineage present in the northwestern Qinling Mountains groups with the Tibet lineage of B. tibetanus, and the remaining Qinling populations are eastern and western lineages that separated ~3-4 million years ago (Ma). The eastern and western Qinling lineage delineation is supported by three morphological variables (snout le

SUBMITTER: Huang ZS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5431969 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature