Phylogeography of desert hedgehogs (Paraechinus aethiopicus) in Qatar : Implications for its intra-specific phylogeny and taxonomy

O'Meara, Denise and O'Reilly, Catherine and Abdullahi, Abdirahman Ali and Abu Baker, Mohammad and Yamaguchi, Nobuyuki (2021) Phylogeography of desert hedgehogs (Paraechinus aethiopicus) in Qatar : Implications for its intra-specific phylogeny and taxonomy. Journal of Arid Environments, 193. ISSN 0140-1963

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Abstract

The desert hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicus, is the only indigenous hedgehog species in Qatar. We investigated the phylogeny and population structure of desert hedgehogs in Qatar for the first time using sections of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome-b and control regions. We found two distinct haplotypes in each mtDNA region within Qatar. However, they do not show a clear phylogeographic structure, suggesting that vicariance by distance over hyper-arid environments may not apply to this desert-adapted species. Nevertheless, the desert hedgehog in Qatar and the few specimens analysed to date from the Arabian Peninsula are genetically distinct from the desert hedgehog in North Africa which may warrant reclassification as a distinct species. Further research is needed, particularly within the Middle East to better understand the genetic diversity of the species and to aid future conservation and management decisions.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Funding Information: This report was made possible by a NPRP award ( NPRP 5-083-1-019 ) from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of The Qatar Foundation). We thank Ivan Mohedano and Luis Villamil for help sampling. We would also like to thank the villagers, farm owners, and farm workers for allowing us access to their properties. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
Uncontrolled Keywords: /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1100/1105
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Depositing User: Admin SSL
Date Deposited: 19 Oct 2022 23:07
Last Modified: 07 Jun 2023 18:44
URI: http://repository-testing.wit.ie/id/eprint/4210

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