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Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-26T16:16:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2015-09-01 PEDECIBA CSIC-UdelaR. from Uruguay Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics National Zoo Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's Scott Neotropical Fund American Zoo Association's Maned Wolf Species Survival Plan The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is one of the largest South American canids, and conservation across this charismatic carnivore's large range is presently hampered by a lack of knowledge about possible natural subdivisions which could influence the population's viability. To elucidate the phylogeographic patterns and demographic history of the species, we used 2 mtDNA markers (D-loop and cytochrome b) from 87 individuals collected throughout their range, in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Uruguay. We found moderate levels of haplotype and nucleotide diversity, and the 14 D-loop haplotypes were closely related. Genetic structure results revealed 4 groups, and when coupled with model inferences from a coalescent analysis, suggested that maned wolves have undergone demographic fluctuations due to changes in climate and habitat during the Pleistocene glaciation period approximately 24 000 years before present (YBP). This genetic signature points to an event that occurred within the timing estimated for the start of the contraction of the Cerrado around 50 000 YBP. Our results reveal a genetic signature of population size expansion followed by contraction during Pleistocene interglaciations, which had similar impacts on other South American mammals. The 4 groups should for now be considered management units, within which future monitoring efforts should be conducted independently. MEC, IIBCE, Dept Biodiversidad & Genet, Genet Conservac, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay Fac Ciencias UdelaR, Secc Genet Evolut, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay Smithsonian Inst, Natl Museum Nat Hist, Dept Vertebrate Zool, Washington, DC 20013 USA Natl Fish & Wildlife Fdn, Sci & Evaluat, Washington, DC 20005 USA Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zootecnia, Nucleo Pesquisa & Conservacao Cervideos, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil Secretaria Ambiente & Desarrollo Sustentable Naci, Buenos Aires, DF, Argentina Smithsonian Conservat Biol Inst, Ctr Conservat & Evolutionary Genet, Washington, DC 20008 USA Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zootecnia, Nucleo Pesquisa & Conservacao Cervideos, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil