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    Novel mitochondrial haplotype of spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) present on Kangaroo Island (South Australia) prior to extirpation

    Access Status
    Open access via publisher
    Authors
    Grealy, A.
    McDowell, M.
    Retallick, C.
    Bunce, Michael
    Peacock, D.
    Date
    2020
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Grealy, A. and McDowell, M. and Retallick, C. and Bunce, M. and Peacock, D. 2020. Novel mitochondrial haplotype of spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) present on Kangaroo Island (South Australia) prior to extirpation. Holocene. 30 (1): pp. 136-144.
    Source Title
    Holocene
    DOI
    10.1177/0959683619875805
    ISSN
    0959-6836
    Faculty
    Faculty of Science and Engineering
    School
    School of Molecular and Life Sciences (MLS)
    Funding and Sponsorship
    http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP160104473
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/90794
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Spotted-tailed quolls (Dasyurus maculatus) – cat-sized, carnivorous marsupials – occupied Kangaroo Island (KI), South Australia, for over 50,000 years but became locally extinct following European settlement of the island in 1836. As the largest mammalian predator on KI when the Europeans colonised it, spotted-tailed quolls would have played a significant role in maintaining healthy ecosystem function. The reintroduction of spotted-tailed quolls to KI could redress some of these ecological benefits and would establish a refuge population of the species, which is considered endangered by the Australian government. However, before a reintroduction could be considered, the genetic relationship between KI’s spotted-tailed quolls and the currently recognised extant subspecies needs to be established. While subspecies are difficult to differentiate by skeletal morphology, they are genetically distinct. Here, we extracted ancient DNA from five left dentaries excavated from Kelly Hill Cave (KI) that were morphologically identified as D. maculatus. Following genetic confirmation of these identifications, we sequenced a 450-bp region of the mitochondrial D-loop to determine the subspecific genetic affiliation(s) of KI’s D. maculatus, and therefore the subspecies that may be the most appropriate candidate for reintroduction. We find that all five specimens are most closely related to the Tasmanian subspecies, but form a distinct monophyletic clade that may represent a new subspecies. Further research (including genotyping spotted-tailed quoll specimens from mainland South Australia and Western Victoria) is required before decisions are made regarding the sourcing of individuals for reintroduction to KI.

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