Department of Biology, Chungbuk University, Cheongju, Korea.
Biochem Genet. 2009 Dec;47(11-12):860-7. doi: 10.1007/s10528-009-9285-8.
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region (927 bp) and cytochrome b gene (1,140 bp) sequences of the Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis) from China and Korea were obtained to examine the taxonomic status of two subspecies, H. i. inermis from China and H. i. argyropus from Korea. Two sympatric mtDNA clades (a major clade from China and Korea and a minor clade from Korea) with an average genetic distance of 2.1% in the control region and 1.3% in the cytochrome b gene were detected. These findings are not consistent with the current classification by pelage color. We propose a reconsideration of the validity of the subspecies designation by the statistical comparison of morphological characters including body color. The major common mtDNA phylogroup in the two allopatric subspecies could be explained by the contiguous distribution of the Chinese water deer from east China to Korea until recent years. The restriction in the range and number of the Chinese subspecies after the last glacier might have caused the disappearance of the minor phylogroup in China. The taxonomic status of the two groups in Korea should be clarified using nuclear DNA marker analyses as well as morphological characters including pelage color.
获得了来自中国和韩国的中华白海豚（Hydropotes inermis）线粒体 DNA（mtDNA）控制区（927bp）和细胞色素 b 基因（1140bp）序列，以检验两个亚种的分类地位，即来自中国的 H. i. inermis 和来自韩国的 H. i. argyropus。在控制区的平均遗传距离为 2.1%，细胞色素 b 基因的平均遗传距离为 1.3%，检测到两个共生的 mtDNA 分支（一个来自中国和韩国的主要分支，一个来自韩国的次要分支）。这些发现与当前基于皮毛颜色的分类不一致。我们建议通过包括体色在内的形态特征的统计比较，重新考虑亚种指定的有效性。两个地理上不同亚种的主要共同 mtDNA 系统发育群可以通过中国白海豚从中国东部到韩国的连续分布来解释，直到最近几年。在中国，最后一次冰川期后，亚种的范围和数量受到限制，可能导致中国次要系统发育群的消失。韩国两个群体的分类地位应通过核 DNA 标记分析以及包括皮毛颜色在内的形态特征来阐明。
