Elucidating the Evolution of the Red Brocket Deer <i>Mazama americana</i> Complex (Artiodactyla; Cervidae)

Abstract

The red brocket deer Mazama americana is a neotropical species that exhibits extensive karyotype variation under an unvarying morphotype. In order to deduce red brocket deer genetic units for conservation, gene flow between populations, and genetic variation, we initiated a cytogenetic and molecular genetic study based on representative samples from throughout their Brazilian geographic range. These data represent the first cytotaxonomical and molecular systematics, and although sample sizes are limited, our results clearly suggest that red brocket deer populations are significantly differentiated with respect to karyotypes and the mitochondrial sequences analyzed. We clearly recognized 2 independent species, and we will be focusing further research in analyzing the meiotic dynamic to determine the existence of other evolutionarily significant units under the red brocket complex.

Estudo histológico e comparativo das papilas linguais dos cervídeos Mazama americana e Mazama gouzoubira por microscopia de luz e eletrônica de varredura

“…Algumas espécies do gênero Mazama são frugívoras, e seu habitat se estende do sul do Uruguai ao norte do estado do Mato Grosso e da Cordilheira dos Andes até o Atlântico para a Mazama gouazoubira, enquanto a Mazama americana do México ao norte da Argentina (Duarte 2006, Abril et al 2010, Ferreira et al 2011.…”

Mammalian Diversity and Matses Ethnomammalogy in Amazonian Peru Part 2: Xenarthra, Carnivora, Perissodactyla, Artiodactyla, and Sirenia

“…In fact, phylogenetic analyses of cytochrome-b sequence data do not support the monophyly of Mazama americana, which was recovered as two weakly supported haplogroups in an unresolved polytomy with Odocoileus hemionus, O. virginianus, and two other species of Mazama by Duarte et al (2008). Subsequently, Abril et al (2010) recovered two haplogroups of M. americana with stronger support by sequencing the mitochondrial control region and by omitting sequences from some of the other odocoileine taxa included in Duarte et al 's (2008) analysis. Abril et al (2010) referred to these haplogroups as morphologically cryptic "species, " 17 In effect, the taxonomic interpretation of the cytogenetic and molecular data at hand is not straightforward, nor is it known which (if either) of the two haplogroups recovered in published analyses of mtDNA sequence data occurs in French Guiana (the type locality of M. americana).…”

“…Subsequently, Abril et al (2010) recovered two haplogroups of M. americana with stronger support by sequencing the mitochondrial control region and by omitting sequences from some of the other odocoileine taxa included in Duarte et al 's (2008) analysis. Abril et al (2010) referred to these haplogroups as morphologically cryptic "species, " 17 In effect, the taxonomic interpretation of the cytogenetic and molecular data at hand is not straightforward, nor is it known which (if either) of the two haplogroups recovered in published analyses of mtDNA sequence data occurs in French Guiana (the type locality of M. americana). Grubb (2005) recognized numerous allegedly valid subspecies of Mazama americana for which (as usual) he cited no supporting revisionary study.…”

“…In light of molecular studies cited above, a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the many nominal taxa currently treated as synonyms or subspecies of M. americana is clearly needed. 17 One cytotype ("Santarém") is shared between the two haplogroups, which do not form convex sets on Abril et al 's (2010: fig. 4) hypothesized network of chromosomal evolution.…”

Amplifiability of mitochondrial, microsatellite and amelogenin DNA loci from fecal samples of red brocket deer Mazama americana (Cetartiodactyla, Cervidae)

“…Urgent studies regarding the distribution, abundance and diversity of these species are required. Among these, the red brocket is a species that has the greatest gaps in knowledge regarding its taxonomy and ecology (Duarte and Jorge, 2003;Duarte et al, 2008;Varela et al, 2010;Abril et al, 2010).…”