RT Journal Article
T1 Chromosomal Differentiation in Genetically Isolated Populations of the Marsh-Specialist Crocidura suaveolens (Mammalia: Soricidae)
A1 García Haro, Francisca
A1 Biedma Aguilera, Luis Eduardo
A1 Calzada Samperio, Javier
A1 Román Sancho, Jacinto
A1 Lozano, Alberto
AB The genus Crocidura represents a remarkable model for the study of chromosome evolution.This is the case of the lesser white-toothed shrew (Crocidura suaveolens), a representative of thePalearctic group. Although continuously distributed from Siberia to Central Europe, C. suaveolensis a rare, habitat-specialist species in the southwesternmost limit of its distributional range, in theGulf of Cádiz (Iberian Peninsula). In this area, C. suaveolens is restricted to genetically isolatedpopulations associated to the tidal marches of five rivers (Guadiana, Piedras, Odiel, Tinto andGuadalquivir). This particular distributional range provides a unique opportunity to investigatewhether genetic differentiation and habitat specialization was accompanied by chromosomal variation.In this context, the main objective of this study was to determinate the chromosomal characteristics ofthe habitat-specialist C. suaveolens in Southwestern Iberia, as a way to understand the evolutionaryhistory of this species in the Iberian Peninsula. A total of 41 individuals from six different populationsacross the Gulf of Cádiz were collected and cytogenetically characterized. We detected four differentkaryotypes, with diploid numbers (2n) ranging from 2n = 40 to 2n = 43. Two of them (2n = 41 and2n = 43) were characterized by the presence of B-chromosomes. The analysis of karyotype distributionacross lineages and populations revealed an association between mtDNA population divergence andchromosomal differentiation. C. suaveolens populations in the Gulf of Cádiz provide a rare example oftrue karyotypic polymorphism potentially associated to genetic isolation and habitat specialization inwhich to investigate the evolutionary significance of chromosomal variation in mammals and theircontribution to phenotypic and ecological divergence.
PB MDPI
SN 2073-4425
YR 2020
FD 2020-03
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10272/17995
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10272/17995
LA eng
NO Garcia, F., Biedma, L., Calzada, J., Román, J. ... Lozano, A.,  (2020). Chromosomal Differentiation in Genetically Isolated Populations of the Marsh-Specialist Crocidura suaveolens (Mammalia: Soricidae). Genes, 11(3), 270. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11030270
NO This research was partially funded by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Spain), throughprojects CGL2014-54317-P and CGL2017-83802-P to ARH, and through the ‘Microproyecto’ “Evolutionary historyof lesser white-toothed shrew, C. suaveolens, in the Iberian Peninsula and genetic status of populations in theGulf of Cádiz” financed by Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD) with funds from the Severo Ochoa Program forCentres of Excellence in R+D+I (SEV-2012-0262). LB benefited from an FPU fellowship from the Ministerio deEducación, Cultura y Deporte.
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
RD 30 may 2026