Dissertation Research: Species Boundaries and Conservation Units in the Family Lemuridae

研究人员将使用诊断分子技术来调查狐猴科三种濒危物种的物种边界、杂交区和保护单位，这三种濒危物种分别是Eulemur fulvus（棕色狐猴）、Eulemur macaco（黑色狐猴）和Varecia variegata variegata（黑色和白色皱狐猴）。诊断是一种客观的方法，可以直接评估人群之间的固定差异。为了实现诊断，必须在人群之间找到固定和不同的属性。这些属性将被用来描述种群之间的差异，这有助于研究人员探索影响物种边界、杂交区和保护单位的进化过程。在这项研究中，研究人员将使用快速进化的DNA作为诊断特征的来源。诊断将用于评估杂交区对Eulemur属两个物种的影响。 E. F. fulvus和E. M. macaco位于马达加斯加西北部和E. F. albocollaris（white-collared lemur）和E. F.鲁弗斯（红额狐猴）在东南部的岛屿将进行检查，使用母亲的线粒体（d-环、细胞色素- B和12 S）以及母本和父本核标记。诊断线粒体DNA（d-环）也将用于确定Varecia variegata variegata中的保护单位，以确定哪些野生捕获个体应引入圈养种群，并确定遗传学上最适合引入小的野生Varecia variegata variegata种群的动物。

The researchers will use diagnostic molecular techniques to investigate species boundaries, hybrid zones, and conservation units in three endangered species from the family Lemuridae, Eulemur fulvus (brown lemur),Eulemur macaco (black lemur), and Varecia variegata variegata (black and white ruffed lemur). Diagnosis is an objective methodology which allows for the straightforward assessment of fixed differences between populations. In order for diagnosis to be achieved, fixed and different attributes must be found between populations. These attributes will be used to characterize populations as distinct from one another which can help in the researchers' exploration of evolutionary processes that impact species boundaries, hybrid zones, and conservation units. In this study, the researchers will use rapidly evolving DNA as their source for diagnostic characters.Diagnosis will be used to assess the impact hybrid zones have on two species in the genus Eulemur. Purported hybrids between E. f. fulvus and E. m. macaco in the northwest of Madagascar and between E. f. albocollaris(white-collared lemur) and E. f. rufus (red-fronted lemur) in the southeast of the island will be examined using the maternal mitochondrial (d-loop, cytochrome - b and 12S) and maternal and paternal nuclear markers.Diagnostic mitochondrial DNA (d-loop) will also be used to determine conservation units in Varecia variegata variegata , to determine which wild caught individuals should be introduced into the captive population, and to determine the most genetically appropriate animals for introduction into asmall wild Varecia variegata variegata population.