Mitochondrial DNA supports the low genetic diversity of Tursiops truncatus (Artiodactyla: Delphinidae) in Bocas del Toro, Panama and exhibits new Caribbean haplotypes

María Alejandra Duarte-Fajardo; Dalia C. Barragán-Barrera; Camilo A. Correa-Cárdenas; Betzi Pérez-Ortega; Nohelia Farías-Curtidor; Susana Caballero

doi:10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71is4.57291

Mitochondrial DNA supports the low genetic diversity of Tursiops truncatus (Artiodactyla: Delphinidae) in Bocas del Toro, Panama and exhibits new Caribbean haplotypes

María Alejandra Duarte-Fajardo
, Dalia C. Barragán-Barrera
, Camilo A. Correa-Cárdenas
, Betzi Pérez-Ortega
, Nohelia Farías-Curtidor
, Susana Caballero

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Introduction: The common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is one of the most studied cetaceans worldwide; however, information about the genetic structure of wild populations is scarce in some regions like Central America and the Caribbean. There are two known genetic forms identified in the Caribbean based on mitochondrial DNA Control Region (mtDNA-CR) data: the ‘inshore (or coastal) form’ and the ‘Worldwide distributed form’. In general, the inshore form refers to coastal and highly philopatric populations that show low genetic diversity. Worldwide distributed form refers to highly mobile populations with coastal and oceanic individuals that do not show philopatry and usually display high genetic diversity.

Objective: To determine the preliminary genetic status of common bottlenose dolphins in La Guajira, Colombian Caribbean, using a hypervariable portion of mtDNA-CR. The obtained haplotypes were compared with samples collected in Panama (likely ‘inshore form’) and with haplotypes previously found in other areas of the Caribbean.

Methods: In 2016, a total of 26 skin samples were obtained by remote biopsy system (PAXARMS) in two locations, La Guajira (Colombia, N=7) and Bocas del Toro (Panama, N=19). DNA was extracted, samples sexed, and a segment of mtDNA-CR (~550-750 bp) was amplified by PCR. The successfully amplified DNA sequences were manually reviewed and cleaned, and subsequently compared with 44 haplotypes previously reported for the Caribbean.

Results: The mtDNA-CR sequences from Bocas del Toro shared the same unique inshore haplotype previously reported for this population, while the samples from La Guajira represented six novel haplotypes, five belonging to the Worldwide distributed form and one to the ‘inshore form.’ Population structure analysis revealed two phylogroups for the Caribbean (FST=0.1353, ΦST=0.3330) with high haplotype diversity: Panama(Bocas del Toro)-Bahamas-Cuba-Mexico (h=0.8489, π=4.2536 %) and Colombia-Costa Rica-Honduras-Puerto Rico (h=0.8837, π=4.2423 %).

Conclusions: These findings support the results previously reported for common bottlenose dolphins in Bocas del Toro-Panama and reinforce the need to protect this vulnerable ‘inshore’ population by treating it as a unique population management unit. Mitochondrial DNA analysis of samples collected from La Guajira dolphins provide the first insight into the genetic diversity of common bottlenose dolphins in this region, indicating the presence of both inshore and Worldwide distributed genetic forms. The potential connectivity of this last form among La Guajira-Colombia, Costa Rica, and Honduras in Central America highlights the need for more genetic and ecological studies to determine the appropriate management units for this species in Central America and the Caribbean.

Original language	Undefined/Unknown
Article number	e57291
Number of pages	14
Journal	Revista de Biología Tropical
Volume	71
Issue number	S4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71is4.57291
State	Published - Oct 30 2023
Externally published	Yes

Funding

This study was supported by two Small Grants in Aid of Research from the Society for Marine Mam-malogy (D. Barragán, 2011; 2014). The Sci-ences Faculty of Universidad de Los Andes provided three Research Grants to D. Barragán: “Proyecto Semilla – 2013-2 Call for Funding of Research Category: Master and Doctoral students, project ‘Genetic structure and diver-sity of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus(Montagu, 1821) (Cetacea: Delphinidae) in La Guajira, Colombian Caribbean’” from Univer-sidad de Los Andes (D. Barragán, 2014); the “Proyecto Semilla – 2015-1 Call for Funding of Research Category: Master and Doctoral students, project ‘Occurrence, distribution and preliminary genetic status of delphinids in La Guajira, Colombian Caribbean’” (D. Bar-ragán, 2015); “Proyecto Semilla – 2017-1 Call for Funding of Research Category: Candidates Ph.D. students, project “Mercury concentra-tions in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus(Montagu, 1821) (Cetacea: Delphinidae) in Bocas del Toro, Caribbean Coast of Panama” (D. Barragán, 2016). The Rufford Foundation provided three grants for this research: the Booster Grant (D. Barragán, 2015), the Sec-ond Booster Grant (D. Barragán, 2017), and another Rufford Small Grant (N. Farías, 2016). Colciencias/Minciencias also supported this study through a Research Grant awarded by the National Ph.D. Call 727 (D. Barragán, 2015), as well as the National Secretary of Science and Technology of Panama (SENACYT) and Department of Biology, Redpath Museum Class 66 Award, Neotropical Environment Option (NEO) and Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Sustainability (BESS) program form McGill University (B. Pérez, 2016). The Vicerrectoría de Investigaciones from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana is acknowledged by providing a Post-doctoral Grant (Call 2021-2) to D. Barragán (2022), who also thanks the Instituto Javeriano del Agua for its support during this stay. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Keywords

bottlenose dolphin
cetaceans
mtDNA
genetic diversity
La Guajira, Colombia, Central America
delfín nariz de botella
cetáceos
ADNmt
diversidad genética
La Guajira, Colombia, Centroamérica

Disciplines

Marine Biology

Access to Document

10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71is4.57291

https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/article/download/57291/57844License: CC BY

Cite this

Duarte-Fajardo, M. A., Barragán-Barrera, D. C., Correa-Cárdenas, C. A., Pérez-Ortega, B., Farías-Curtidor, N., & Caballero, S. (2023). Mitochondrial DNA supports the low genetic diversity of Tursiops truncatus (Artiodactyla: Delphinidae) in Bocas del Toro, Panama and exhibits new Caribbean haplotypes. Revista de Biología Tropical, 71(S4), Article e57291. https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71is4.57291

Mitochondrial DNA supports the low genetic diversity of Tursiops truncatus (Artiodactyla: Delphinidae) in Bocas del Toro, Panama and exhibits new Caribbean haplotypes. / Duarte-Fajardo, María Alejandra; Barragán-Barrera, Dalia C.; Correa-Cárdenas, Camilo A. et al.
In: Revista de Biología Tropical, Vol. 71, No. S4, e57291, 30.10.2023.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Duarte-Fajardo, MA, Barragán-Barrera, DC, Correa-Cárdenas, CA, Pérez-Ortega, B, Farías-Curtidor, N & Caballero, S 2023, 'Mitochondrial DNA supports the low genetic diversity of Tursiops truncatus (Artiodactyla: Delphinidae) in Bocas del Toro, Panama and exhibits new Caribbean haplotypes', Revista de Biología Tropical, vol. 71, no. S4, e57291. https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71is4.57291

Duarte-Fajardo MA, Barragán-Barrera DC, Correa-Cárdenas CA, Pérez-Ortega B, Farías-Curtidor N, Caballero S. Mitochondrial DNA supports the low genetic diversity of Tursiops truncatus (Artiodactyla: Delphinidae) in Bocas del Toro, Panama and exhibits new Caribbean haplotypes. Revista de Biología Tropical. 2023 Oct 30;71(S4):e57291. doi: 10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71is4.57291

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title = "Mitochondrial DNA supports the low genetic diversity of Tursiops truncatus (Artiodactyla: Delphinidae) in Bocas del Toro, Panama and exhibits new Caribbean haplotypes",

abstract = "Introduction: The common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is one of the most studied cetaceans worldwide; however, information about the genetic structure of wild populations is scarce in some regions like Central America and the Caribbean. There are two known genetic forms identified in the Caribbean based on mitochondrial DNA Control Region (mtDNA-CR) data: the {\textquoteleft}inshore (or coastal) form{\textquoteright} and the {\textquoteleft}Worldwide distributed form{\textquoteright}. In general, the inshore form refers to coastal and highly philopatric populations that show low genetic diversity. Worldwide distributed form refers to highly mobile populations with coastal and oceanic individuals that do not show philopatry and usually display high genetic diversity. Objective: To determine the preliminary genetic status of common bottlenose dolphins in La Guajira, Colombian Caribbean, using a hypervariable portion of mtDNA-CR. The obtained haplotypes were compared with samples collected in Panama (likely {\textquoteleft}inshore form{\textquoteright}) and with haplotypes previously found in other areas of the Caribbean. Methods: In 2016, a total of 26 skin samples were obtained by remote biopsy system (PAXARMS) in two locations, La Guajira (Colombia, N=7) and Bocas del Toro (Panama, N=19). DNA was extracted, samples sexed, and a segment of mtDNA-CR (\textasciitilde{}550-750 bp) was amplified by PCR. The successfully amplified DNA sequences were manually reviewed and cleaned, and subsequently compared with 44 haplotypes previously reported for the Caribbean. Results: The mtDNA-CR sequences from Bocas del Toro shared the same unique inshore haplotype previously reported for this population, while the samples from La Guajira represented six novel haplotypes, five belonging to the Worldwide distributed form and one to the {\textquoteleft}inshore form.{\textquoteright} Population structure analysis revealed two phylogroups for the Caribbean (FST=0.1353, ΦST=0.3330) with high haplotype diversity: Panama(Bocas del Toro)-Bahamas-Cuba-Mexico (h=0.8489, π=4.2536 \%) and Colombia-Costa Rica-Honduras-Puerto Rico (h=0.8837, π=4.2423 \%). Conclusions: These findings support the results previously reported for common bottlenose dolphins in Bocas del Toro-Panama and reinforce the need to protect this vulnerable {\textquoteleft}inshore{\textquoteright} population by treating it as a unique population management unit. Mitochondrial DNA analysis of samples collected from La Guajira dolphins provide the first insight into the genetic diversity of common bottlenose dolphins in this region, indicating the presence of both inshore and Worldwide distributed genetic forms. The potential connectivity of this last form among La Guajira-Colombia, Costa Rica, and Honduras in Central America highlights the need for more genetic and ecological studies to determine the appropriate management units for this species in Central America and the Caribbean.",

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author = "Duarte-Fajardo, \{Mar{\'i}a Alejandra\} and Barrag{\'a}n-Barrera, \{Dalia C.\} and Correa-C{\'a}rdenas, \{Camilo A.\} and Betzi P{\'e}rez-Ortega and Nohelia Far{\'i}as-Curtidor and Susana Caballero",

year = "2023",

month = oct,

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doi = "10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71is4.57291",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Mitochondrial DNA supports the low genetic diversity of Tursiops truncatus (Artiodactyla: Delphinidae) in Bocas del Toro, Panama and exhibits new Caribbean haplotypes

AU - Duarte-Fajardo, María Alejandra

AU - Barragán-Barrera, Dalia C.

AU - Correa-Cárdenas, Camilo A.

AU - Pérez-Ortega, Betzi

AU - Farías-Curtidor, Nohelia

AU - Caballero, Susana

PY - 2023/10/30

Y1 - 2023/10/30

N2 - Introduction: The common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is one of the most studied cetaceans worldwide; however, information about the genetic structure of wild populations is scarce in some regions like Central America and the Caribbean. There are two known genetic forms identified in the Caribbean based on mitochondrial DNA Control Region (mtDNA-CR) data: the ‘inshore (or coastal) form’ and the ‘Worldwide distributed form’. In general, the inshore form refers to coastal and highly philopatric populations that show low genetic diversity. Worldwide distributed form refers to highly mobile populations with coastal and oceanic individuals that do not show philopatry and usually display high genetic diversity. Objective: To determine the preliminary genetic status of common bottlenose dolphins in La Guajira, Colombian Caribbean, using a hypervariable portion of mtDNA-CR. The obtained haplotypes were compared with samples collected in Panama (likely ‘inshore form’) and with haplotypes previously found in other areas of the Caribbean. Methods: In 2016, a total of 26 skin samples were obtained by remote biopsy system (PAXARMS) in two locations, La Guajira (Colombia, N=7) and Bocas del Toro (Panama, N=19). DNA was extracted, samples sexed, and a segment of mtDNA-CR (~550-750 bp) was amplified by PCR. The successfully amplified DNA sequences were manually reviewed and cleaned, and subsequently compared with 44 haplotypes previously reported for the Caribbean. Results: The mtDNA-CR sequences from Bocas del Toro shared the same unique inshore haplotype previously reported for this population, while the samples from La Guajira represented six novel haplotypes, five belonging to the Worldwide distributed form and one to the ‘inshore form.’ Population structure analysis revealed two phylogroups for the Caribbean (FST=0.1353, ΦST=0.3330) with high haplotype diversity: Panama(Bocas del Toro)-Bahamas-Cuba-Mexico (h=0.8489, π=4.2536 %) and Colombia-Costa Rica-Honduras-Puerto Rico (h=0.8837, π=4.2423 %). Conclusions: These findings support the results previously reported for common bottlenose dolphins in Bocas del Toro-Panama and reinforce the need to protect this vulnerable ‘inshore’ population by treating it as a unique population management unit. Mitochondrial DNA analysis of samples collected from La Guajira dolphins provide the first insight into the genetic diversity of common bottlenose dolphins in this region, indicating the presence of both inshore and Worldwide distributed genetic forms. The potential connectivity of this last form among La Guajira-Colombia, Costa Rica, and Honduras in Central America highlights the need for more genetic and ecological studies to determine the appropriate management units for this species in Central America and the Caribbean.

AB - Introduction: The common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is one of the most studied cetaceans worldwide; however, information about the genetic structure of wild populations is scarce in some regions like Central America and the Caribbean. There are two known genetic forms identified in the Caribbean based on mitochondrial DNA Control Region (mtDNA-CR) data: the ‘inshore (or coastal) form’ and the ‘Worldwide distributed form’. In general, the inshore form refers to coastal and highly philopatric populations that show low genetic diversity. Worldwide distributed form refers to highly mobile populations with coastal and oceanic individuals that do not show philopatry and usually display high genetic diversity. Objective: To determine the preliminary genetic status of common bottlenose dolphins in La Guajira, Colombian Caribbean, using a hypervariable portion of mtDNA-CR. The obtained haplotypes were compared with samples collected in Panama (likely ‘inshore form’) and with haplotypes previously found in other areas of the Caribbean. Methods: In 2016, a total of 26 skin samples were obtained by remote biopsy system (PAXARMS) in two locations, La Guajira (Colombia, N=7) and Bocas del Toro (Panama, N=19). DNA was extracted, samples sexed, and a segment of mtDNA-CR (~550-750 bp) was amplified by PCR. The successfully amplified DNA sequences were manually reviewed and cleaned, and subsequently compared with 44 haplotypes previously reported for the Caribbean. Results: The mtDNA-CR sequences from Bocas del Toro shared the same unique inshore haplotype previously reported for this population, while the samples from La Guajira represented six novel haplotypes, five belonging to the Worldwide distributed form and one to the ‘inshore form.’ Population structure analysis revealed two phylogroups for the Caribbean (FST=0.1353, ΦST=0.3330) with high haplotype diversity: Panama(Bocas del Toro)-Bahamas-Cuba-Mexico (h=0.8489, π=4.2536 %) and Colombia-Costa Rica-Honduras-Puerto Rico (h=0.8837, π=4.2423 %). Conclusions: These findings support the results previously reported for common bottlenose dolphins in Bocas del Toro-Panama and reinforce the need to protect this vulnerable ‘inshore’ population by treating it as a unique population management unit. Mitochondrial DNA analysis of samples collected from La Guajira dolphins provide the first insight into the genetic diversity of common bottlenose dolphins in this region, indicating the presence of both inshore and Worldwide distributed genetic forms. The potential connectivity of this last form among La Guajira-Colombia, Costa Rica, and Honduras in Central America highlights the need for more genetic and ecological studies to determine the appropriate management units for this species in Central America and the Caribbean.

KW - bottlenose dolphin

KW - cetaceans

KW - mtDNA

KW - genetic diversity

KW - La Guajira, Colombia, Central America

KW - delfín nariz de botella

KW - cetáceos

KW - ADNmt

KW - diversidad genética

KW - La Guajira, Colombia, Centroamérica

U2 - 10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71is4.57291

DO - 10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71is4.57291

M3 - Article

SN - 0034-7744

VL - 71

JO - Revista de Biología Tropical

JF - Revista de Biología Tropical

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ER -