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Abstract
The takin (Budorcas taxicolor) is an Endangered ungulate. We analyzed the variation within mtDNA control region sequences of takin populations in the Qinling Mountains, the Minshan Mountains and the confluence of these two mountain ranges. We did not find any shared haplotypes among the populations. We observed apparent variation in the control region length among the three populations, and independent population expansions in the late of Pleistocene, which suggests these populations may have independent evolutionary histories. We found only one haplotype, and the lowest measures of genetic diversity (h = 0; π = 0) in the population from the confluent zone, which suggests populations in the confluent zone may have grown from small founder populations and gene flow with other populations has ceased. Based on their phylogenetic relationships, we concluded that the takin population in the confluent zone was in the same clade as the Tangjiahe population, which suggests that these takin populations are Sichuan takin (Budorcas taxicolor tibetana).
Acknowledgements
Logistical support was provided by Tangjiahe Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China; Maozhai Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China; Qingmuchuan Nature Reserve, Shaanxi, China and Foping Nature Reserve, Shaanxi, China. We are grateful to many staff in the Tangjiahe Nature Reserve, Maozhai Nature Reserve, Qingmuchuan Nature Reserve and Foping Nature Reserve for their contributions to this project. We also thank Ali Krzton for English revision.
Declaration of interest
The authors have declared no conflicting interests. We greatly appreciate funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31370412), the Scientific Research Fund of Sichuan Provincial Education Department (2006A076), and the Innovation Team Project of China West Normal University (CXTD2014-3).