Genetic diversity analysis of Macaca thibetana based on mitochondrial DNA control region sequences

Abstract

Macaca thibetana is a threatened primate species endemic to China. Genetic diversities based on a 476-bp fragment at the 5′-end of the mitochondrial DNA control region HVSI were assessed. Haplotype diversity is high (0.8521), but nucleotide diversity among all haplotypes is only 0.0574. No haplotype was shared between Sichuan (SC) and Huangshan Mountain (HS) populations. Phylogenetic trees, analysis of molecular variance and network analysis consistently indicated that the SC and HS populations are significantly different. They should therefore be conserved as different units, with priority and more attention given to the HS populations.