Filogeografia di Talpa romana in Italia meridionale
Author(s)
Cecchetti, Silvia
Date Issued
June 24, 2009
Type
Doctoral Thesis
Abstract
The subterranean organisms are characterized by low genetic variability levels, due to the
homogenous environment they live in. The worm-eating Talpa romana, endemic species of
central and southern Italy, shows genetic variability levels comparable with those of other
subterranean mammals, except for central and southern Calabria populations. The multilocus
electrophoresis analysis has evidenced an hybrid zone in the Catanzaro plain between two
isolated units, the first one in central and southern Appennines and the second one in
Aspromonte. The increased variability might be due to hybridation between the two groups,
occurred after the definitive emersion of the Catanzaro plain. In order to analyze the
differentiation processes and secondary contact zones, it was sequenced a cytochrome b
fragment gene (mtDNA) and two introns of Y chromosome (nuclear DNA). The first marker
has allowed highlighting four groups of mitochondrial haplotypes whose geographic
distribution is coincident with the main mountains of the region. The use of the Y
chromosome (introns UTY11 and DBY14) allowed tracing the movement of the males having
greater mobility: one group is confined in the Aspromonte, while the second one spreads its
gene flow from the Central Italy to the Aspromonte. The comparison between the several
markers used shows a scenario in agreement with the palegeographic events occurred in
Calabria.
Additional information
Dottorato di ricerca in Ecologia e gestione delle risorse biologiche
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