Population genetics of the endangered Wattled Curassow (Crax globulosa, Cracidae, Aves) of the Colombian–Peruvian Amazon using DNA microsatellites and ND2 mitochondrial sequences

Abstract

The Wattled Curassow (Crax globulosa, Cracidae, Aves) is a large bird living in the Western Amazon basin and a critically endangered species in the Colombian and in the Peruvian Amazon. We carried out the first population genetics analysis of this species employing six nuclear microsatellite markers and sequences of the mtND2 gene. The main results are as follows. (1) The levels of gene diversity were high for the overall population as well as for each of the three islands for both microsatellites and mtDNA. (2) A small amount of genetic differentiation among populations was found with both types of markers (F_ST = 0.027 for microsatellites and N_ST = 0.17 for mitochondrial sequences). (3) Using microsatellites, the Geneclass 2.0 software detected a low correct assignment of individuals to their respective populations. The Structure software only detected one gene pool for the entire area studied. These results are relevant for conservation efforts of this critically endangered species.

Keywords:

• Crax globulosa
• DNA microsatellites
• mitochondrial ND2 gene
• genetic structure
• Colombian and Peruvian Amazon

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Dr. Sara Bennett and the participants of the “Piurí” project for their help in obtaining samples. Thanks to Dr. C. Hughes for sending primers of the microsatellites. Thanks to Kelly Luengas for helping with the figures. Dr. Joseph Shostell helped with the English syntax. We also thank Dr. Anne Zillikens, Dr. Angela Schmitz Ornés, and two anonymous reviewers for the comments and corrections on an early version of the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

The authors thank Tropenbos Internacional Colombia and Conservación Internacional (IEA; grants [110785-2006] in memoriam of Jorge Ignacio Hernández) for their financial support.