Genetic analysis of African lions (Panthera leo) in Zambia support movement across anthropogenic and geographical barriers.

ABSTRACT: The Luangwa Valley in eastern Zambia is a transverse offshoot of the Great Rift Valley system. This region appears to have an isolating effect as evidenced by suspected endemic subspecies, such as the Cookson's wildebeest and Thornicroft's giraffe. Recent mitochondrial DNA studies demonstrated that African lions in Zambia consist of two highly diverse eastern and western sub-populations. Herein, we report nuclear and mitochondrial DNA results from 409 lions that support this population substructure across Zambia but proposes only partial isolation of the Luangwa Valley with more movement between the populations than previously thought. Population assignment analysis identifies two populations with little evidence of admixture assigning lions to either the eastern or western sub-populations

SUBMITTER: Curry CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6544237 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature