Intraspecific genetic structure and foraging plasticity in the Southern Rockhopper Penguin

LOIS, NICOLÁS A.; CAMPAGNA, LEONARDO; BALZA, ULISES; POLITO, MICHAEL J.; VIANNA, JULIANA A.; MORGENTHALER, ANNICK; FRERE, ESTEBAN; SAENZ-SAMANIEGO, RICARDO; RAYA REY, ANDREA; MAHLER, BETTINA

Dunedin

Conferencia; 10th International Penguin Conference; 2019

University of Otago

Penguins have a wide latitudinal distribution across different environments in the southern hemisphere. In the Southern Ocean, the polar front (PF) and the subtropical front (STF) are associated to strong north/south variations in temperature and salinity, delimiting the Antarctic and Subantartic biogeographic Provinces. Such oceanographic fronts may act as a barrier to dispersal of marine biota, generating genetic structure and promoting lineage diversification. Moreover, alternance of glacial and interglacial periods during Pleistocene should have also affect the geographic distribution and population size of these species. During the last years, we have been evaluated mtDNA, microsatellites and genome-wide markers for several penguin?s species along their distribution within Antarctica, across the fronts, up to north. We found contrasting phylogeographical and Population Structure patterns within species for Spheniscus, Pygoscelis, Eudyptes, however the PF and STF always act as a barrier of gene flow in different degrees, depending of the taxa. Low degree of introgression has been detected overall among species, which level increase among closely related species. Lack of divergence and incomplete lineage sorting has also been detected between closely related species. Our results are part of long term international collaboration which has been significantly contributing to the penguins knowledge and conservation worldwide.