Mitochondrial DNA revealed the validation of Quasipaa robertingeri (Amphibia: Anura: Dicroglossidae) and its population genetic diversity

Gang Wang; Simeng Du; Gang Wei; Bin Wang; Shize Li; Ningning Lu

doi:10.1080/23802359.2021.1881836

Mitochondrial DNA revealed the validation of Quasipaa robertingeri (Amphibia: Anura: Dicroglossidae) and its population genetic diversity

Mitochondrial DNA B Resour. 2021 Mar 1;6(2):668-671. doi: 10.1080/23802359.2021.1881836.

Authors

Gang Wang¹, Simeng Du^{2

3}, Gang Wei⁴, Bin Wang², Shize Li^{2

5}, Ningning Lu²

Affiliations

¹ College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Chengdu Normal University, Chengdu, China.
² Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China.
³ University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
⁴ Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory, Guiyang College, Guiyang, China.
⁵ Department of Food Science and Engineering, Moutai Institute, Renhuai, China.

Abstract

The spiny frog Quasipaa robertingeri is endemic to a narrow region of southwest China and its taxonomic validation is still controversial. Based on COI gene sequences of 110 individuals from seven populations of Q. robertingeri and its related species, we investigated the phylogenetic position and population genetic structure of the species. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that Q. robertingeri was deeply genetically separated from its closely related species Q. boulengeri, indicating the validation of the species. All samples of Q. robertingeri were clustered into two divergent lineages. Haplotype network, AMOVA, and genetic distance estimations also supported the separations of the two groups. Neutrality tests indicated that one lineage has been likely independently experienced a recent population expansion, leading to a secondary contact area between the two lineages.

Keywords: Phylogenetic relationships; clade; frog; genetic diversity.

Associated data

figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.13153115.v1

Grants and funding

This work was supported by National Natural Sciences Foundation of China [NSFC31960099 and 32070426], Basic Research Project of Science and Technology Department of Guizhou Province (No. [2020] 1Y083), Science and Technology Support Project of Science and Technology Department of Guizhou Provincial (No. [2020] 4Y029), and Guizhou Provincial Department of Education Youth Science and Technology Talents Growth Project (Nos. KY[2018]455 and KY[2018]468).