https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:3274 The potential and shortcomings of mitochondrial DNA analysis for cheetah conservation management Meißner, René René Meißner 0000-0003-2829-1607 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna / Goethe University Prost, Stefan Stefan Prost 0000-0002-6229-3596 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna / LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics Burger, Pamela A. Pamela A. Burger 0000-0002-6941-0257 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Horin, Petr Petr Horin University of Veterinary Sciences Brno Khalatbari, Leili Leili Khalatbari 0000-0003-2182-3084 Universidade do Porto / CIBIO / Mohitban Society / University of Veterinary Sciences Brno Abramov, Alexei V. Alexei V. Abramov Russian Academy of Sciences Hunter, Luke T. B. Luke T. B. Hunter Wildlife Conservation Society / University of KwaZulu-Natal Vercammen, Paul Paul Vercammen Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife Fernandes, Carlos Rodríguez Carlos Rodríguez Fernandes 0000-0002-1386-8103 University of Lisbon Bottriell, Paul Paul Bottriell Rex Foundation Bottriell, Lena Godsall Lena Godsall Bottriell Rex Foundation Greve, Carola Carola Greve 0000-0003-4993-1378 LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics Sliwa, Alexander Alexander Sliwa 0000-0002-9111-3371 Kölner Zoo AG Winter, Sven Sven Winter 0000-0002-1890-0977 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Westerhüs, Uta Uta Westerhüs Opel-Zoo Springer text eng Abstract: There are only about 7,100 adolescent and adult cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) remaining in the wild. With the majority occurring outside protected areas, their numbers are rapidly declining. Evidence-based conservation measures are essential for the survival of this species. Genetic data is routinely used to inform conservation strategies, e.g., by establishing conservation units (CU). A commonly used marker in conservation genetics is mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Here, we investigated the cheetah's phylogeography using a large-scale mtDNA data set to refine subspecies distributions and better assign individuals to CUs. Our dataset mostly consisted of historic samples to cover the cheetah's whole range as the species has been extinct in most of its former distribution. While our genetic data largely agree with geography-based subspecies assignments, several geographic regions show conflicting mtDNA signals. Our analyses support previous findings that evolutionary forces such as incomplete lineage sorting or mitochondrial capture likely confound the mitochondrial phylogeography of this species, especially in East and, to some extent, in Northeast Africa. We caution that subspecies assignments solely based on mtDNA should be treated carefully and argue for an additional standardized nuclear single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker set for subspecies identification and monitoring. However, the detection of the A. j. soemmeringii specific haplogroup by a newly designed Amplification-Refractory Mutation System (ARMS) can already provide support for conservation measures. Acinonyx-Jubatus; Asiatic Cheetah; Avoidance; Habitats; Iran http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:3274/download 10.1007/s10592-022-01483-1 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:605 application/pdf Conservation Genetics 24(1), 125-136 (2022) Conservation Genetics 24 1 125 136 2.87 MB 2022