Colonization history of Mallorca Island by the European rabbit,Oryctolagus cuniculus, and the Iberian hare,Lepus granatensis(Lagomorpha: Leporidae)

Abstract

The Mediterranean islands have a long history of human‐mediated introductions resulting in frequent replacements of their fauna and flora. Although these histories are sometimes well documented or may be inferred from paleontological studies, the use of phylogenetic and population genetic reconstruction methods provides a complementary perspective for answering questions related to the history of insular species. In the present study, we infer the colonization history of Mallorca (Balearic Islands) by the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and the Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) using sequence variation of the mitochondrial DNA control region from continental and insular specimens (total of 489 sequences). Additionally, the taxonomic identity of Mallorcan L. granatensis was confirmed using a diagnostic nuclear marker. For both Mallorcan rabbits and hares, genetic diversity was comparable to the continental populations, suggesting the introduction of multiple lineages. Two Mallorcan haplogroups were found in hares, which likely correspond to two introduction events. Rabbits from Mallorca were identified as belonging to the subspecies Oryctolagus cuniculus cuniculus, and may have been originated both from Iberian and French populations. The molecular estimates of the timing of the colonization events of the Mallorcan lagomorphs are consistent with human‐mediated introductions by early settlers on the islands. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 111, 748–760.

mtDNA diversity in a rabbit population from Sicily (Italy)

“…Accordingly, Hardy et al (1994) reported on rabbits from Zembra (Tunisia), a Mediterranean island near Sicily, belonging to the O. c. cuniculus subspecies. In a more recent study, rabbits from the island of Mallorca were identified as belonging to O. c. cuniculus, having origins from Iberian and French populations (Seixas et al, 2014). Instead, the IP population in the northeast was regarded as O. c. cuniculus, whereas populations in the southwest of the IP, North Africa, the Mediterranean islands (including Sicily), and the Portuguese Atlantic islands were considered as O. c. algirus (Branco et al, 2000;Esteves et al, 2004).…”

Spatial genetic structure across a hybrid zone between European rabbit subspecies

“…The lowest diversity and high genetic differentiation found in the island of Mallorca is most likely due to the founder effect caused by the introduction of the rabbit in these Mediterranean islands following the first human arrival to Mallorca 4,300–4,100 years ago ( Flux, 1994 ; Alcover, 2008 ). Interestingly, a much older estimate has been proposed for the most recent common ancestor between island and mainland rabbits between 170,000 years and present, according to mitochondrial sequence data ( Seixas et al, 2014 ). While the number of alleles and allelic richness detected for Mallorca were lower than in most of the other samples analyzed, this was not the case for its heterozygosity values ( Table 1 and Table S2 ).…”

Peer Review #1 of "Spatial genetic structure across a hybrid zone between European rabbit subspecies (v0.1)"

“…Reviewing Manuscript according to mitochondrial sequence data (Seixas et al, 2014). While the number of alleles and allelic richness detected for Mallorca were lower than in most of the other samples analyzed, this was not the case for its heterozygosity values (Table 1 and Supplementary Table 2).…”