Genetic diversity and population history of a critically endangered primate, the northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus).

Social, ecological, and historical processes affect the genetic structure of primate populations, and therefore have key implications for the conservation of endangered species. The northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus) is a critically endangered New World monkey and a flagship species for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest hotspot. Yet, like other neotropical primates, little is known about its population history and the genetic structure of remnant populations. We analyzed the mitochondrial DNA control region of 152 northern muriquis, or 17.6% of the 864 northern muriquis from 8 of the 12 known extant populations and found no evidence of phylogeographic partitions or past population shrinkage/expansion. Bayesian and classic analyses show that this finding may be attributed to the joint contribution of female-biased dispersal, demographic stability, and a relatively large historic population size. Past population stability is consistent with a central Atlantic Forest Pleistocene refuge. In addition, the best scenario supported by an Approximate Bayesian Computation analysis, significant fixation indices (Φ(ST) = 0.49, Φ(CT) = 0.24), and population-specific haplotypes, coupled with the extirpation of intermediate populations, are indicative of a recent geographic structuring of genetic diversity during the Holocene. Genetic diversity is higher in populations living in larger areas (>2,000 hectares), but it is remarkably low in the species overall (θ = 0.018). Three populations occurring in protected reserves and one fragmented population inhabiting private lands harbor 22 out of 23 haplotypes, most of which are population-exclusive, and therefore represent patchy repositories of the species' genetic diversity. We suggest that these populations be treated as discrete units for conservation management purposes.

Genetic structure in two northern muriqui populations (Brachyteles hypoxanthus, Primates, Atelidae) as inferred from fecal DNA

We assessed the genetic diversity of two northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus Primata, Atelidae) populations, the Feliciano Miguel Abdala population (FMA, n = 108) in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais (19°44' S, 41°49' W) and the Santa Maria de Jetibá population (SMJ, n = 18) in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo (20°01' S, 40°44' W). Fecal DNA was isolated and PCR-RFLP analysis used to analyze 2160 bp of mitochondrial DNA, made up of an 820 bp segment of the gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2 (cox2, EC 1.9.3.1), an 880 bp segment of the gene cytochrome b (cytb, EC 1.10.2.2) and 460 bp of the hypervariable segment of the mtDNA control region (HVRI). The cox2 and cytb sequences were monomorphic within and between populations whereas the HVRI revealed three different population exclusive haplotypes, one unique to the SMJ population and two, present at similar frequencies, in the FMA population. Overall haplotype diversity (h = 0.609) and nucleotide diversity (pi = 0.181) were high but reduced within populations. The populations were genetically structured with a high fixation index (F ST = 0.725), possibly due to historical subdivision. These findings have conservation implications because they seem to indicate that the populations are distinct management units.