Two Sympatric Phylogroups of the Chinese Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis) Identified by Mitochondrial DNA Control Region and Cytochrome b Gene Analyses

Abstract

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region (927 bp) and cytochrome b gene (1,140 bp) sequences of the Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis) from China and Korea were obtained to examine the taxonomic status of two subspecies, H. i. inermis from China and H. i. argyropus from Korea. Two sympatric mtDNA clades (a major clade from China and Korea and a minor clade from Korea) with an average genetic distance of 2.1% in the control region and 1.3% in the cytochrome b gene were detected. These findings are not consistent with the current classification by pelage color. We propose a reconsideration of the validity of the subspecies designation by the statistical comparison of morphological characters including body color. The major common mtDNA phylogroup in the two allopatric subspecies could be explained by the contiguous distribution of the Chinese water deer from east China to Korea until recent years. The restriction in the range and number of the Chinese subspecies after the last glacier might have caused the disappearance of the minor phylogroup in China. The taxonomic status of the two groups in Korea should be clarified using nuclear DNA marker analyses as well as morphological characters including pelage color.

Mitochondrial genetic diversity, phylogeny and population structure of <i>Hydropotes inermis</i> in South Korea

“…Furthermore, Hu et al (2007) found that the Chinese water deer has a relatively high level of genetic diversity among microsatellite markers (n = 7) compared to other rare Cervidae, and strong differentiation between different regions of origin (mainland and Zhoushan archipelago). More recently, Koh et al (2009) reported that the Chinese and Korean subspecies seem to be very closely related, displaying low levels of genetic distance for cytochrome b (1.3%) and the control region (2.1%), which contrasts with previous expectations that the two subspecies would have distinct characteristics based on the pelage color of the deer. This previous study only focused on the taxonomic status of the two water deer subspecies (Koh et al, 2009).…”

“…More recently, Koh et al (2009) reported that the Chinese and Korean subspecies seem to be very closely related, displaying low levels of genetic distance for cytochrome b (1.3%) and the control region (2.1%), which contrasts with previous expectations that the two subspecies would have distinct characteristics based on the pelage color of the deer. This previous study only focused on the taxonomic status of the two water deer subspecies (Koh et al, 2009). Detailed genetic information about the Korean subspecies, such as the genetic diversity and population structure among various regions or localities of Korea, is scarce.…”

“…These results indicate that the Korean subspecies has a relatively lower genetic diversity than the Chinese subspecies (Hu et al, 2006). A recent study of Korean water deer also showed that the Korean population has fewer haplotypes (Koh et al 2009) (A = 21 from 28 samples for Chinese populations; A = 14 from 42 samples for Korean populations). In the present study, the mean sequence divergence (p s ) among all individuals was 0.883% (0.848-0.897%), which is within the range of the previous result (p s = 0.5-2.1%) by Koh et al (2009).…”

“…A recent study of Korean water deer also showed that the Korean population has fewer haplotypes (Koh et al 2009) (A = 21 from 28 samples for Chinese populations; A = 14 from 42 samples for Korean populations). In the present study, the mean sequence divergence (p s ) among all individuals was 0.883% (0.848-0.897%), which is within the range of the previous result (p s = 0.5-2.1%) by Koh et al (2009). Hu et al (2006) previously reported the genetic characteristics of the Chinese subspecies based on mitochondrial D-loop sequence (403 bp) variation.…”

“…To date, a few genetic studies have been conducted on water deer using mitochondrial DNA markers (e.g., cytochrome b and the control region) (Hu et al, 2006;Koh et al, 2009) and nuclear microsatellite markers (Hu et al, 2007). Hu et al (2006) ascertained that the overall Chinese subspecies displays no clear phylogenetic relationship between different regions of origin, even though a relatively higher genetic diversity in the mitochondrial D-loop region was found compared to that in other rare Cervidae.…”