Genetic Evidence for Two Species of Elephant in Africa

Alfred L. Roca, Nicholas Georgiadis, Jill Pecon-Slattery, Stephen J. O'Brien

Elephants from the tropical forests of Africa are morphologically

distinct from savannah or bush elephants. Dart-biopsy samples from 195

free-ranging African elephants in 21 populations were examined for DNA

sequence variation in four nuclear genes (1732 base pairs). Phylogenetic

distinctions between African forest elephant and savannah elephant

populations corresponded to 58% of the difference in the same genes

between elephant genera Loxodonta (African) and Elephas (Asian). Large

genetic distance, multiple genetically fixed nucleotide site

differences, morphological and habitat distinctions, and extremely

limited hybridization or gene flow between forest and savannah elephants

support the recognition and conservation management of two African

species: Loxodonta africana and Loxodonta cyclotis.