Historical mitochondrial diversity in African leopards (Panthera pardus) revealed by archival museum specimens

Abstract

Once found throughout Africa and Eurasia, the leopard (Panthera pardus) was recently uplisted from Near Threatened to Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Historically, more than 50% of the leopard’s global range occurred in continental Africa, yet sampling from this part of the species’ distribution is only sparsely represented in prior studies examining patterns of genetic variation at the continental or global level. Broad sampling to determine baseline patterns of genetic variation throughout the leopard’s historical distribution is important, as these measures are currently used by the IUCN to direct conservation priorities and management plans. By including data from 182 historical museum specimens, faecal samples from ongoing field surveys, and published sequences representing sub-Saharan Africa, we identify previously unrecognized genetic diversity in African leopards. Our mtDNA data indicates high levels of divergence among regional populations and strongly differentiated lineages in West Africa on par with recent studies of other large vertebrates. We provide a reference benchmark of genetic diversity in African leopards against which future monitoring can be compared. These findings emphasize the utility of historical museum collections in understanding the processes that shape present biodiversity. Additionally, we suggest future research to clarify African leopard taxonomy and to differentiate between delineated units requiring monitoring or conservation action.

Keywords:

• Panthera pardus
• African leopard
• museum collections
• genetic diversity
• phylogeography

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Panthera, the Global Felid Genetics Program, and Torsten Bohm for sample contributions from Gabon, Nigeria, Senegal, and Republic of Congo. All samples were collected with the authorization and assistance of the respective statutory wildlife authorities in those countries, for which we are extremely grateful. Special thanks to Eileen Westwig, the Department of Mammalogy, and the American Museum of Natural History. We are extremely grateful for the assistance of the Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics including Angelica Menchaca Rodriguez, Ashley Yang, Melina Giakoumis, Stephen Gaughran, Rebecca Hersch, Mohammad Faiz, Dr. Anthony Caragiulo, Dr. Claudia Wultsch, and Dr. Mark Siddall.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no declarations of interest.

Support for this work was provided by Fordham University, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Sequence data generated in support for this publication have been deposited to GenBank with accessions KY292222-77.