The Late Pleistocene distribution of vicunas (Vicugna vicugna) and the "extinction" of the gracile llama ("Lama gracilis"): New molecular data

Weinstock, J; Shapiro, B; Prieto, A; Marín JC; Gonzalez, BA; Gilbert, MTP; Willersleva, E

Abstract

We present the results of a palaeogenetic analysis of two Late Pleistocene camelids originating in southern Chile. Our analysis of two mitochondrial DNA fragments (control region and cytochrome b gene) reveals that these specimens do not belong to an extinct taxon, but rather to extant vicuña (Vicugna vicugna), whose modern distribution is restricted to the extreme elevations of the Andes, more than 3500 km to the north of where these specimens originated. Our results also suggest fossil specimens from Patagonia that are currently assigned to the extinct taxon Lama gracilis, may actually belong to V. vicugna, implying a continuous distribution of the latter from the southern tip of South America to the Andes during the Final Pleistocene. The haplotypes of both specimens are not present in modern populations, suggesting a loss of genetic diversity concomitant with the contraction of the vicuña geographical distribution during the Final Pleistocene or early Holocene. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Más información

Título según WOS: The Late Pleistocene distribution of vicunas (Vicugna vicugna) and the "extinction" of the gracile llama ("Lama gracilis"): New molecular data
Título según SCOPUS: The Late Pleistocene distribution of vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna) and the "extinction" of the gracile llama ("Lama gracilis"): New molecular data
Título de la Revista: QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
Volumen: 28
Número: 15-16
Editorial: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
Fecha de publicación: 2009
Página de inicio: 1369
Página final: 1373
Idioma: English
URL: http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0277379109001140
DOI:

10.1016/j.quascirev.2009.03.008

Notas: ISI, SCOPUS