Huang Renrong, Chen Jinmei, Li Hongmei, Cheng Huan, Zhang Renyi
School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550025, China.
Animals (Basel). 2025 Apr 23;15(9):1202. doi: 10.3390/ani15091202.
The mountainous regions of Southwest China are biodiversity hotspots where geographical isolation promotes genetic differentiation and species diversification. For cave-dwelling species like the , how geographical isolation, historical climate, and riverscapes have influenced their evolution remains largely unexplored. Based on 255 samples from the Pearl River and the Yangtze River, this study integrated two mitochondrial genes and two nuclear genes to analyze the genetic diversity and structure of the population. Phylogenetic trees based on mitochondrial DNA revealed two distinct clades of , while nuclear DNA loci showed no clear separation. Spatial Analysis of Molecular Variance (SAMOVA) confirmed two groups: Clade I (the Yangtze, the Guijiang, and the Duliujiang Rivers) and Clade II (the Nanpanjiang, Hongshui, Dahuanjiang, Youjiang, and Rongjiang Rivers). The divergence time between the two clades was estimated at 13.73 million years ago, which was potentially linked to the impact of the QTP uplift on monsoonal systems. The star-like network analysis and neutrality test results indicated that the population of Clade I has maintained a stable state over a long period, while the population of Clade II showed a trend of expansion. Additionally, geographical features such as the Nanling Mountains and the two major river systems may have obstructed gene flow, leading to genetic differentiation. These findings improved our understanding of this species' evolutionary history and population structure, offering valuable insights for conservation efforts.
中国西南部山区是生物多样性热点地区,地理隔离促进了基因分化和物种多样化。对于像[物种名称缺失]这样的穴居物种,地理隔离、历史气候和河流地貌如何影响其进化在很大程度上仍未得到探索。基于珠江和长江的255个样本,本研究整合了两个线粒体基因和两个核基因,以分析[物种名称缺失]种群的遗传多样性和结构。基于线粒体DNA的系统发育树显示[物种名称缺失]有两个不同的分支,而核DNA位点没有明显的分离。分子变异空间分析(SAMOVA)确定了两组:分支I(长江、桂江和都柳江)和分支II(南盘江、红水河、大环江、右江和融江)。两个分支之间的分歧时间估计为1373万年前,这可能与青藏高原隆升对季风系统的影响有关。星状网络分析和中性检验结果表明,分支I的种群在很长一段时间内保持稳定状态,而分支II的种群呈现出扩张趋势。此外,南岭山脉和两大水系等地理特征可能阻碍了基因流动,导致了遗传分化。这些发现增进了我们对该物种进化历史和种群结构的理解,为保护工作提供了有价值的见解。