Preliminar phylogeographic analysis of the Argentinean pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) populations

RAIMONDI VANINA; GONZÁLEZ SUSANA; BEADE MARIO; PAUTASSO ANDRÉS,; DELGADO ALICIA; MIROL PATRICIA

Mendoza, Argentina

Congreso; The 10th International Mammalogical congress; 2009

Center for Science & Technology - CCT CONICET Mendoza (CRICYT)

<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; panose-1:2 11 6 2 3 5 4 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-2147476737 14699 0 0 191 0;} @font-face {font-family:Times; panose-1:2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-hyphenate:none; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-font-kerning:.5pt; mso-ansi-language:ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-language:#00FF;} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:70.85pt 73.3pt 70.85pt 3.0cm; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> The pampas deer is one of the eight species of native cervids of Argentina, and it is considered the most endangered mammal. Although, it was abundant in the past in Argentina, its distribution has withdrawn more than 90% of the original area mainly due to human alteration of their habitat. Currenly, only four populations remain, located in Corrientes, Buenos Aires, San Luis and Santa Fe. These populations are small and highly isolated from each other. Traditionally, the taxonomy of the species in Argentina has been based primarily on morphological data resulting in the differentiation of two subspecies: O. b. celer y O. b. leucogaster. Later on, other studies including molecular markers were performed on some populations form Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, but the localities of Santa Fe and Corrientes were not included. At this respect, it is very important to analyze genetic differences among the four populations of Argentina, as well as to evaluate the intrapopulation variability in order to propose conservation strategies in the country. The main objective of this study is to carry out a phylogenetic analysis including the two proposed subspecies: O. b. celer y O. b.leucogaster. Also, to determine levels of genetic diferentiation among these isolated populations and to analyze the role of the Paraná river as a geographical barrier between populations in Santa Fé and Corrientes.The results would be used to delimite conservation and/or management units. We analyzed a 600 bp fragment of the mitochondrial control region of inidividuals from Santa Fe, Corrientes and Bahía de Sanborombón. Our preliminary results show unique haplotypes of pampas deer in each locality, as well as a clear pattern of segregation among them. The distribution of the genetic variability agrees with the morphological characterization of both subspecies.