Genetic Diversity and Relatedness among Captive African Painted Dogs in North America.

African painted dogs ( APD) are highly endangered, with fewer than 7000 remaining in nature. Captive breeding programs can preserve a genetically diverse population and provide a source of individuals for reintroductions. However, most programs are initiated from few founders and suffer from low genetic diversity and inbreeding.

Assessment of spatial genetic structure to identify populations at risk for infection of an emerging epizootic disease.

Understanding the geographic extent and connectivity of wildlife populations can provide important insights into the management of disease outbreaks but defining patterns of population structure is difficult for widely distributed species. Landscape genetic analyses are powerful methods for identifying cryptic structure and movement patterns that may be associated with spatial epizootic patterns in such cases.We characterized patterns of population substructure and connectivity using microsatellite genotypes from 2,222 white-tailed deer () in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, a region where chronic wasting disease was first detected in 2009.

Identification and evaluation of a core microsatellite panel for use in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).

Background: Microsatellite loci have been used extensively over the past two decades to study the genetic characteristics of non-model species. The ease of microsatellite development and ability to adapt markers from related species has led to the proliferation of available markers for many commonly studied species. Because it is often infeasible to genotype individuals across all available loci, researchers generally rely on subsets of markers.

Population and genetic outcomes 20 years after reintroducing bobcats (Lynx rufus) to Cumberland Island, Georgia USA.

In 1988-1989, 32 bobcats Lynx rufus were reintroduced to Cumberland Island (CUIS), Georgia, USA, from which they had previously been extirpated. They were monitored intensively for 3 years immediately post-reintroduction, but no estimation of the size or genetic diversity of the population had been conducted in over 20 years since reintroduction. We returned to CUIS in 2012 to estimate abundance and effective population size of the present-day population, as well as to quantify genetic diversity and inbreeding.

Range-Wide Genetic Analysis of Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) Populations: Estimating the Risk of Spread of White-Nose Syndrome.

The little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) is one of the most widespread bat species in North America and is experiencing severe population declines because of an emerging fungal disease, white-nose syndrome (WNS). To manage and conserve this species effectively it is important to understand patterns of gene flow and population connectivity to identify possible barriers to disease transmission. However, little is known about the population genetic structure of little brown bats, and to date, no studies have investigated population structure across their entire range.

Genetic structure of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) corresponds with spread of white-nose syndrome among hibernacula.

Until recently, the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) was one of the most common bat species in North America. However, this species currently faces a significant threat from the emerging fungal disease white-nose syndrome (WNS). The aims of this study were to examine the population genetic structure of M.

Contrasting genetic structure in two co-distributed species of old world fruit bat.

The fulvous fruit bat (Rousettus leschenaulti) and the greater short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus sphinx) are two abundant and widely co-distributed Old World fruit bats in Southeast and East Asia. The former species forms large colonies in caves while the latter roots in small groups in trees. To test whether these differences in social organization and roosting ecology are associated with contrasting patterns of gene flow, we used mtDNA and nuclear loci to characterize population genetic subdivision and phylogeographic histories in both species sampled from China, Vietnam and India.

Sequence variation in the primate dopamine transporter gene and its relationship to social dominance.

Dopaminergic activity differs between socially dominant and subordinate monkeys, and in humans, it correlates significantly with extraversion, a trait analogous to social dominance in monkeys. Furthermore, concentrations of monoamine metabolites within the cerebrospinal fluid are highly heritable. Dopaminergic activity is modulated by the dopamine transporter (DAT), and the gene encoding this transporter is therefore an excellent candidate for studies aiming to identify variants of functional or evolutionary significance.

The serotonin transporter: sequence variation in Macaca fascicularis and its relationship to dominance.

Specific genotypes of the rhesus monkey and human serotonin transporter gene (SERT) promoter region are associated with personality traits and serotonergic activity. However, the most commonly studied promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) is monomorphic in many other monkey species. To date, no systematic search for alternative potentially functional polymorphisms across the remaining coding parts of the gene has been undertaken in other primate species, despite the crucial role SERT plays in modulating serotonergic tone.

A family matter: conclusive resolution of the taxonomic position of the long-fingered bats, miniopterus.

The long-fingered bats (Miniopterus sp.) are among the most widely distributed mammals in the world. However, despite recent focus on the systematics of these bats, their taxonomic position has not been resolved.

Strong population substructure is correlated with morphology and ecology in a migratory bat.

Examining patterns of inter-population genetic diversity can provide valuable information about both historical and current evolutionary processes affecting a species. Population genetic studies of flying and migratory species such as bats and birds have traditionally shown minimal population substructure, characterized by high levels of gene flow between populations. In general, strongly substructured mammalian populations either are separated by non-traversable barriers or belong to terrestrial species with low dispersal abilities.