Event Title
Flying Fox Bats: Similar Species with Divergent Evolutionary Pathways
Presentation Type
Oral and/or Visual Presentation
Presenter Major(s)
Biology
Mentor Information
Amy Russell
Department
Biology
Location
Kirkhof Center 2216
Start Date
10-4-2013 12:00 AM
End Date
10-4-2013 12:00 AM
Keywords
Life Science
Abstract
Pteropus samoensis and P. tonganus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) are two species of flying fox bats found on southern Pacific islands, with regions of sympatry in Samoa and Fiji. Both are dietary generalists and have experienced repeated population bottlenecks due to cyclones. We explored the null hypothesis that the two species have experienced parallel evolutionary histories. Using mitochondrial and microsatellite data, we reconstructed their genetic demography. Analyses of the two datasets show very different patterns within and between Samoa and Fiji. Using coalescent-based ABC analyses, we will illustrate the extent to which the two species have experienced different evolutionary trajectories. This study will address the extent to which similarities in extant populations are generalizable into the past, estimate effective size, spatial limits of both populations, and help to illustrate how two species might arrive at similar traits through quite distinct evolutionary pathways.
Flying Fox Bats: Similar Species with Divergent Evolutionary Pathways
Kirkhof Center 2216
Pteropus samoensis and P. tonganus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) are two species of flying fox bats found on southern Pacific islands, with regions of sympatry in Samoa and Fiji. Both are dietary generalists and have experienced repeated population bottlenecks due to cyclones. We explored the null hypothesis that the two species have experienced parallel evolutionary histories. Using mitochondrial and microsatellite data, we reconstructed their genetic demography. Analyses of the two datasets show very different patterns within and between Samoa and Fiji. Using coalescent-based ABC analyses, we will illustrate the extent to which the two species have experienced different evolutionary trajectories. This study will address the extent to which similarities in extant populations are generalizable into the past, estimate effective size, spatial limits of both populations, and help to illustrate how two species might arrive at similar traits through quite distinct evolutionary pathways.