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.
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