Bibliography Record

 
 
Blair, David; McMahon, Adrian; McDonald, Brenda; Tikel, Daniela; Waycott, Michelle; Marsh, Helene D. (detail)
   
2014
Pleistocene sea level fluctuations and the phylogeography of the dugong in Australian waters.
Marine Mammal Science 30(1): 104-121. 2 tabs. 3 figs. DOI:10.1111/mms.12022. January 2014.
–ABSTRACT: We investigated phylogeography, demography, and population connectivity of the dugong (Dugong dugon) in Australian waters using mitochondrial control region DNA sequences from 177 Australian dugongs and 11 from elsewhere. The dugong is widespread in shallow Indo-West Pacific waters suitable for growth of its main food, seagrass. We hypothesized that the loss of habitat and creation of a land barrier (the Torres Strait landbridge) during low sea level stands associated with Pleistocene glacial cycles have left a persisting genetic signature in the dugong. The landbridge was most recently flooded about 7,000 yr ago. Individual dugongs are capable of traveling long distances, suggesting an alternative hypothesis that there might now be little genetic differentiation across the dugong's Australian range. We demonstrated that Australian dugongs fall into two distinct maternal lineages and exhibit a phylogeographic pattern reflecting Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations. Within each lineage, genetic structure exists, albeit at large spatial scales. We suggest that these lineages diverged following the last emergence of the Torres Strait landbridge (ca. 115 kya) and remained geographically separated until after 7 kya when passage through Torres Strait again became possible for marine animals. Evidence for population growth in the widespread lineage, especially after the last glacial maximum, was detected.

Related Index Records (3)

Australia
  2014 Blair et al. (DD; Pleist. sea level & phylogeography)

Dugong dugon (Müller, 1776) Palmer, 1895
  2014 Blair et al. (Australia; Pleist. sea level & phylogeography)

Population Biology
(SEE ALSO: Aerial Surveys of Distribution; Age Determination; Birth and Breeding)
  2014 Blair et al. (DD; Australia; Pleist. sea level & phylogeography)


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