Genomic analyses reveal three phylogenetic species and their evolutionary histories in the big-headed turtle
Shiping Gong,
Chatmongkon Suwannapoom,
Minh Le,
Truong Quang Nguyen,
Yan Ge,
Yufeng Wei,
Yangchun Gao
Affiliations
Shiping Gong
College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 105 Xingang Road West, Guangzhou 510260, China
Chatmongkon Suwannapoom
School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
Minh Le
Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Science & Central Institute for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES), Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam
Truong Quang Nguyen
Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi 10072, Vietnam
Yan Ge
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 105 Xingang Road West, Guangzhou 510260, China
Yufeng Wei
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 105 Xingang Road West, Guangzhou 510260, China
Yangchun Gao
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 105 Xingang Road West, Guangzhou 510260, China; Corresponding author
Summary: The critically endangered big-headed turtle (Platysternon megacephalum) is currently classified into three subspecies. However, the classification is still controversial and their evolutionary histories are still unclear. Here, multiple genetic analyses consistently revealed three phylogenetic groups with substantial genetic divergences and distinct demographic histories, suggesting three phylogenetic species (P. megacephalum, P. peguense, and Baise clade). Phylogeographical analyses revealed that the Red River plains and Guangxi basins are largely coincident with the boundaries between the three phylogenetic species, highlighting the key role of lowland areas in driving speciation in the big-headed turtle. The Baise clade is characterized by high-linkage disequilibrium but the lowest effective population size, indicating that the cryptic phylogenetic species is more vulnerable to human activities and environmental disturbance, and urgently needs more protection. Our findings provide fundamental insights into the taxonomy and scientific conservation of the family Platysternidae.
