Search

Burriel-Carranza, Bernat, Mazuch, Tomáš, Estarellas, Maria, Talavera, Adrián, Riaño, Gabriel, Koppetsch, Thore, Tamar, Karin, Tejero-Cicuéndez, Héctor, Saadi, Saleh Al, Busais, Salem, Kratochvíl, Lukáš, Shobrak, Mohammed, Šmíd, Jiří, Carranza, Salvador (2023): Pristurus guweirensis Haas, 1943 (Gekkota: Sphaerodactylidae): the most abundant and widely distributed species of Pristurus previously referred to as Pristurus sp. 1. Zootaxa 5297 (4): 594-599, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5297.4.9, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5297.4.9

Low genetic variation and high levels of inbreeding are usually a consequence of recent population declines in endangered species. From a conservation point of view, it is essential to genetically screen endangered populations to help assess their vulnerability to extinction and to properly create informed management actions towards their conservation efforts. The leopard, Panthera pardus, is a highly generalist predator with currently eight different subspecies inhabiting a wide range of habitats. Yet, genomic data is still lacking for the Critically Endangered Arabian leopard (P. p. nimr). Here, we sequenced the whole genome of two specimens of Arabian leopard and assembled the most complete genomic dataset for leopards to date, including genomic data for all current subspecies. Our phylogenomic analyses show that leopards are divided into two deeply divergent clades, one including the only African subspecies and a second one including all seven subspecies of Asian leopards. Interestingly, the Arabian leopard represents a well-differentiated lineage sister to the rest of Asian subspecies. The demographic history, genomic diversity, Runs of Homozygosity (RoHs), and mutational load in the Arabian leopard indicate a prolonged population decline, which has led to an increase in inbreeding and RoHs, with consequent purging of deleterious mutations. Our study represents the first attempt to genetically inform captive breeding programs for this Critically Endangered subspecies. Still, more genomes, particularly from wild individuals, are needed to fully characterise the genetic makeup of this singular and iconic subspecies.

The Hajar Mountain range is the highest in eastern Arabia, forming a spectacular isolated wall of rock that rises dramatically from the sea below. It runs northwest to southeast in a 650 km continuous arc parallel to the Oman and UAE coastline along the Gulf of Oman, from the Musandam Peninsula to Ras Al Hadd. This impressive massif is flanked by the sea to the East and by very large gravel and sand deserts to the West and South. Cut by deep wadis, these arid mountains have a complex topography and can be divided into three distinct blocks; Western Hajars, Jebel Akhdar and Eastern Hajars; separated by some topographical discontinuities. With a maximum elevation of 3,009 m, Jebel Shams in the Jebel Akhdar massif is the highest peak, although several peaks above 2,000 m also occur in the Eastern and Western Hajars. The Hajar Mountains originated about 30 Mya due to the tectonic motions that resulted in the opening of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden but final uplift occurred approximately 4–6 Mya. The Hajar Mountains are usually referred to as a mountain desert for its arid conditions but it is actually one of the most climatically variable areas in southeastern Arabia. Owing to its geological origin, high elevations, very deep canyons and geographic isolation from other mountains, high levels of species richness and endemicity are recorded in several animal and plant groups, making the Hajar Mountains a focal point of conservation in Arabia. To date, 28 species of reptiles and two amphibians inhabit the Hajar Mountains and this number is likely to increase in the next few years as a result of ongoing research. Of these species, 19 are endemic to the massif, which means that they do not live anywhere else in the world, highlighting the importance of the Hajar Mountains as a hotspot of reptile diversity and endemicity., Scientific research has been funded by grants CGL2015-70390-P and PGC2018-098290-B-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033/ and by FEDER, a way to make Europe, and by project 22412027 from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, Oman to S. Carranza. B. Burriel-Carranza is supported by an FPU grant (FPU18/04742) (MCIU, Spain).

Los reptiles son un grupo muy interesante de vertebrados terrestres. Han habitado nuestro planeta durante más de 250 millones de años y están adaptados a vivir en una amplia variedad de entornos. Hay más de 11.500 especies diferentes de reptiles en todo el mundo, divididas en tortugas, serpientes, lagartos y cocodrilos, que se caracterizan por su cubierta exterior escamosa. A pesar de su glorioso pasado, no siempre son bien apreciados por los humanos, especialmente en comparación con los mamíferos y las aves, ya que causan muchas muertes anualmente en todo el mundo. El Sultanato de Omán se considera el tercer país más grande de la Península Arábiga. Con sus vastos paisajes terrestres y marinos, alberga una de las biodiversidades más ricas de Arabia. Su fauna y vegetación únicas en las partes Norte y Central del país comparten especies con Irán y Pakistán, mientras que las del Sur presentan afinidades africanas. El Sultanato de Omán tiene aproximadamente el 50% del número total de especies de reptiles de la Península Arábiga, lo que lo convierte en uno de los países con mayor diversidad de reptiles de Arabia. A pesar de esta gran diversidad, todavía existen muchas lagunas en el conocimiento de la historia de vida, el tamaño de la población y la distribución real de los reptiles de Omán. Además de eso, se espera que el cambio climático cause más estrés por el incremento del calor, cambiando los hábitats naturales de muchas especies de reptiles y haciendo muy difícil predecir cómo estos se verán afectados., Scientific research in Oman has been funded by grants CGL2015-70390-P (MINECO/FEDER, UE) Spain, PGC2018-098290-B-I00 (MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE) Spain, and by project 22412027 from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, Oman to S. Carranza. B. Burriel-Carranza is supported by an FPU grant (FPU18/04742) (MCIU, Spain).

The genus Psammodromus (Lacertidae) comprises six species. Three of the species are morphologically similar, phylogenetically closely related, and are distributed in the Iberian Peninsula (besides P. algirus): P. occidentalis (Western Iberia), P. hispanicus (Central Spain), and P. edwarsianus (Eastern Spain). Previous studies have shown these three species to have allopatric distributions in Iberia, though there are still many areas such as Andalucía where it is unclear which species of Psammodromus occurs. In this study we present nine new records of Psammodromus from key places in southern Spain. Since the three Iberian species are difficult to differentiate by morphology, specimens were genetically identified using mitochondrial DNA data and compared to all six species of the genus. Here we present an updated distribution map of Psammodromus specimens identified with molecular methods, increasing the ranges of all three species. We also propose wider regions of potential sympatry between P. occidentalis and P. hispanicus, and P. edwarsianus and P. hispanicus than previously recorded., The work was supported by grant 2017-SGR-00991 from the Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca del Departament d’Economia i Coneixement de la Generalitat de Catalunya to SC.BB-C is supported by FPU grant FPU18/04742