Title

Molecular Evidence for Species-Level Distinctions in Clouded Leopards

Authors

Valerie A. Buckley-Beason, National Cancer Institute at Frederick; Hood College
Warren E. Johnson, National Cancer Institute at Frederick
William G. Nash, H&W Cytogenetic Services, Inc.
Roscoe Stanyon, National Cancer Institute at Frederick
Joan C. Menninger, National Cancer Institute at Frederick
Carlos A. Driscoll, University of Oxford; National Cancer Institute at Frederick
JoGayle Howard, National Zoological Park - Washington, D.C.
Mitch E. Bush, National Zoological Park - Washington, D.C.
J. E. Page, National Cancer Institute at Frederick
Melody E. Roelke, National Cancer Institute at Frederick
Gary Stone, National Cancer Institute at Frederick
Paolo Martelli, Singapore Zoological Gardens
Ci Wen, Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institution
Lin Ling, Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institution
Ratna K. Duraisingam, Asian Wildlife Consultancy Company Limited - Thailand
Phan V. Lam, Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Stephen J. O'Brien, National Cancer Institute at FrederickFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-5-2006

Publication Title

Current Biology

ISSN

0960-9822

Volume

16

Issue/No.

23

First Page

2371

Last Page

2376

Abstract

Among the 37 living species of Felidae, the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is generally classified as a monotypic genus basal to the Panthera lineage of great cats. This secretive, mid-sized (16–23 kg) carnivore, now severely endangered, is traditionally subdivided into four southeast Asian subspecies. We used molecular genetic methods to re-evaluate subspecies partitions and to quantify patterns of population genetic variation among 109 clouded leopards of known geographic origin. We found strong phylogeographic monophyly and large genetic distances between N. n. nebulosa (mainland) and N. n. diardi (Borneo; n = 3 individuals) with mtDNA (771 bp), nuclear DNA (3100 bp), and 51 microsatellite loci. Thirty-six fixed mitochondrial and nuclear nucleotide differences and 20 microsatellite loci with nonoverlapping allele-size ranges distinguished N. n. nebulosa from N. n. diardi. Along with fixed subspecies-specific chromosomal differences, this degree of differentiation is equivalent to, or greater than, comparable measures among five recognized Panthera species (lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, and snow leopard). These distinctions increase the urgency of clouded leopard conservation efforts, and if affirmed by morphological analysis and wider sampling of N. n. diardi in Borneo and Sumatra, would support reclassification of N. n. diardi as a new species (Neofelis diardi).

Comments

©2006 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved

NSUWorks Citation

Buckley-Beason, Valerie A.; Warren E. Johnson; William G. Nash; Roscoe Stanyon; Joan C. Menninger; Carlos A. Driscoll; JoGayle Howard; Mitch E. Bush; J. E. Page; Melody E. Roelke; Gary Stone; Paolo Martelli; Ci Wen; Lin Ling; Ratna K. Duraisingam; Phan V. Lam; and Stephen J. O'Brien. 2006. "Molecular Evidence for Species-Level Distinctions in Clouded Leopards." Current Biology 16, (23): 2371-2376. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cnso_bio_facarticles/540

ORCID ID

0000-0001-7353-8301

ResearcherID

N-1726-2015