No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Please cite this article as: Ashrafzadeh, M.R., Kaboli, M., Naghavi, M.R.,Mitochondrial DNA analysis of Iranian brown bears (Ursus arctos) reveals new phylogeographic lineage, Mammalian Biology (2015), http://dx. ABSTRACT 22Brown bears are mostly found in relatively low densities in the 23 mountainous forests of Iran, from north to northwest and west, as well. 24 Phylogeographic and genetic relationships between Iranian brown bears and 25 others in the world are still unclear. We sequenced a 614 bp fragment of 26 mtDNA control region of 15 sampled brown bears throughout Iran, where a 27 dataset comprising a total number of 336 sequences belonging to brown and 28 polar bears was included in the analyses. As compared to other brown bears, 29 the Iranian brown bear presents remarkable haplotype diversity (15 30 individuals, 12 new haplotypes). Phylogenetic analyses revealed one major 31 previously uncharacterized mtDNA lineage within Iranian brown bears, 32 comprising 2-3 subclades: (i) Northern Iran, which includes bears from the 33 Alborz and the Iranian Caucasus Mountains; (ii) Western Iran, including the 34 individuals from the Zagros Mountains; and (iii) Fars, which comprises bears 35 living in the Southern Zagros Mountains. These subclades are found in 36 different geographic locations in Iran, indicating pronounced current 37 population structuring in females. Moreover, statistical analyses of fixation 38 index (F ST ) and analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) demonstrate 39 significant genetic structure among the subclades. Fu's F S test suggested that 40 northern and western Iranian brown bears probably underwent a recent 41 population expansion, indicating significant deviations from neutrality.42Overall, these findings likely imply the survival of brown bears in several 43 refugia during the last glacial maximum in (or near) Iran.

No abstract