Characterization of the diversity of barn owl's mitochondrial genome reveals high copy number variations in the control region.

Mitochondria are known to play an essential role in the cell. These organelles contain their own DNA, which is divided in a coding and non-coding region (NCR). While much of the NCR's function is unknown, tandem repeats have been observed in several vertebrates, with extreme intra-individual, intraspecific and interspecific variation. Taking advantage of a new complete reference for the mitochondrial genome of the Afro-European Barn Owl (Tyto alba), as well as 172 whole genome-resequencing; we (i) describe the reference mitochondrial genome with a special focus on the repeats in the NCR, (ii) quantify the variation in number of copies between individuals, and (iii) explore the possible factors associated with the variation in the number of repetitions. The reference mitochondrial genome revealed a long (256bp) and a short (80bp) tandem repeat in the NCR region. The re-sequenced genomes showed a great variation in number of copies between individuals, with 4 to 38 copies of the Long and 6 to 135 copies of the short repeat. Among the factors associated with this variation between individuals, the tissue used for extraction was the most significant. The exact mechanisms of the formations of these repeats are still to be discovered and understanding them will help explain the maintenance of the polymorphism in the number of copies, as well as their interactions with the metabolism, the aging and health of the individuals.

A new species of Bolitoglossa (Caudata: Plethodontidae) of the Bolitoglossa franklini group from an isolated cloud forest in northern Guatemala.

We describe Bolitoglossa qeqom sp. nov. from an isolated cloud forest in Cerro Guachmalén, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, based on multiple lines of evidence (morphological, molecular, and biogeographic data). This region comprises a mountain ridge without previous herpetological surveys. The new species is a large salamander with uniform purplish-black coloration and is distinguished by having relatively long legs with only one costal groove between adpressed limbs, numerous maxillary teeth, few vomerine teeth, only one phalange free of webbing in digit III of feet, and a relatively short tail. It is geographically closest to its sister clade of B. lincolni + B. franklini and the xeric Chixoy river canyon appears to be the major biogeographic barrier that isolated the new taxon. The cloud forest inhabited by this species has undergone severe habitat destruction in the region and land conservation actions are urgent.