Phylogeographical structure of the pygmy shrew: revisiting the roles of southern and northern refugia in Europe

Abstract

Southern and northern glacial refugia are considered paradigms that explain the complex phylogeographical patterns and processes of European biota. Here, we provide a revisited statistical phylogeographical analysis of the pygmy shrew Sorex minutus Linnaeus, 1766 (Eulipotyphla, Soricidae), examining its genetic diversity, genetic differentiation and demographic history in the Mediterranean peninsulas and in Western and Central Europe. The results showed support for genetically distinct and diverse phylogeographical groups consistent with southern and northern glacial refugia, as expected from previous studies. We also identified geographical barriers concordant with glaciated mountain ranges during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), early diversification events dated between the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene for the main phylogeographical groups, and recent (post-LGM) patterns of demographic expansions. This study is the most comprehensive investigation of this species to date, and the results have implications for the conservation of intraspecific diversity and the preservation of the evolutionary potential of S. minutus.

Checklist of rodents and insectivores of the Crimean Peninsula

“…Species, which are common in the Caucasus Mountains are also absent in mountainous Crimea (voles of the Terricola subgenus, and the dormice Dryomys nitedula Pallas, 1778 and Glis glis Linnaeus, 1766). However, the Caucasian pygmy shrew Sorex volnuchini has recently been found in Crimea ( Vega et al 2020 ) but we have no information on this species in the current study.…”

Next‐generation phylogeography resolves post‐glacial colonization patterns in a widespread carnivore, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), in Europe

“…In Europe, several overarching patterns have emerged from fossil data and phylogeographic studies, with refugia identified in the three “classic” Mediterranean (Iberian, Apennine and Balkan) peninsulas (Hewitt, 1999; Sommer & Nadachowski, 2006; Taberlet et al, 1998), but also further north in areas in or adjacent to the Carpathians mountains and the Dordogne region in France as examples of “cryptic refugia” (McDevitt et al, 2012; Provan & Bennett, 2008; Stojak et al, 2016). Phylogeographic studies of the most widely studied group, the terrestrial mammals, have shown distinct mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineages in small mammals (Searle et al, 2009; Stojak et al, 2016; Vega et al, 2020) and ungulates (Carden et al, 2012; Sommer et al, 2008) that are consistent with contraction and re‐expansion from these refugial regions (Hewitt, 1999; Taberlet et al, 1998).…”

“…Phylogeographic studies of the most widely studied group, the terrestrial mammals, have shown distinct mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineages in small mammals (Searle et al, 2009;Stojak et al, 2016;Vega et al, 2020) and ungulates (Carden et al, 2012;Sommer et al, 2008) that are consistent with contraction and re-expansion from these refugial regions (Hewitt, 1999;Taberlet et al, 1998).…”

Divergencia genética en musarañas (Mammalia: Soricidae) de los bosques húmedos de montaña al norte del Neotrópico

“…Su capacidad de dispersión relativamente limitada, tiempo de generación corto y asociaciones estrechas con hábitats particulares, han contribuido a que las musarañas reciban una atención especial para evaluar el papel que han jugado el cambio climático del pasado y la orografía en la conformación de los patrones de variabilidad genética actual y los procesos de divergencia de linajes. Lo anterior ha sido particularmente importante en regiones templadas, boreales y paleotropicales (Giarla y Esselstyn, 2015;Hope et al, 2020;Jacquet et al, 2013;Vega et al, 2020;Vuilleumier y Fontanillas, 2007). En el Neotrópico, la situación es diferente.…”