2017
Identification of Genetically Important Individuals of the Rediscovered Floreana Galápagos Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis elephantopus) Provides Founders for Species Restoration Program
Miller J, Quinzin M, Poulakakis N, Gibbs J, Beheregaray L, Garrick R, Russello M, Ciofi C, Edwards D, Hunter E, Tapia W, Rueda D, Carrión J, Valdivieso A, Caccone A. Identification of Genetically Important Individuals of the Rediscovered Floreana Galápagos Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis elephantopus) Provides Founders for Species Restoration Program. Scientific Reports 2017, 7: 11471. PMID: 28904401, PMCID: PMC5597637, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11516-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGiant tortoisesGalápagos giant tortoisesHuman-driven environmental changesCaptive breeding programsCaptive breeding centerSpecies restoration programsHigh ancestryFloreana IslandSpecies todayIsland ecosystemsBreeding programsGalápagos IslandsGenetic analysisBreeding CenterEnvironmental changesRestoration programsTortoisesSpeciesEcosystemsDistinctive morphologyAncestryUnprecedented rateIslandsTranslocationUnique opportunity
2012
Genetic rediscovery of an ‘extinct’ Galápagos giant tortoise species
Garrick R, Benavides E, Russello M, Gibbs J, Poulakakis N, Dion K, Hyseni C, Kajdacsi B, Márquez, Bahan S, Ciofi C, Tapia W, Caccone A. Genetic rediscovery of an ‘extinct’ Galápagos giant tortoise species. Current Biology 2012, 22: r10-r11. PMID: 22240469, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2011.12.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFloreana IslandHybrid individualsGiant tortoise speciesUnique evolutionary lineagesGiant Galápagos tortoisesCaptive breeding programsEvolutionary lineagesGalápagos tortoisesHybrid offspringExtinct speciesGenetic footprintsTortoise speciesBreeding programsGalápagos IslandsGenetic signaturesExtant individualsIsabela IslandGenomeSpeciesMixed ancestryTortoisesAncestryIslandsLineagesLikely mechanism
2008
Colonization and diversification of Galpagos terrestrial fauna: a phylogenetic and biogeographical synthesis
Parent C, Caccone A, Petren K. Colonization and diversification of Galpagos terrestrial fauna: a phylogenetic and biogeographical synthesis. Philosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences 2008, 363: 3347-3361. PMID: 18782729, PMCID: PMC2607378, DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2008.0118.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTerrestrial faunaPhylogenetic studiesDivergence of populationsSimilar geological historyDistinct evolutionary historiesMolecular phylogenetic studiesRemote oceanic islandsRange of organismsStudy of diversificationHabitat specializationBiogeographical synthesisGeological historyLow vagilityDiverse habitatsEvolutionary historyGeological formationsOceanic islandsGroup of islandsGalápagos IslandsRemarkable settingUnique assemblageComparable climateEvolutionary processesFaunaIslands
2003
The origin of captive Galápagos tortoises based on DNA analysis: implications for the management of natural populations
Burns C, Ciofi C, Beheregaray L, Fritts T, Gibbs J, Márquez C, Milinkovitch M, Powell J, Caccone A. The origin of captive Galápagos tortoises based on DNA analysis: implications for the management of natural populations. Animal Conservation 2003, 6: 329-337. DOI: 10.1017/s1367943003003408.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNatural populationsMtDNA haplotypesCaptive individualsMtDNA control region haplotypesDistinct mtDNA haplotypesControl region haplotypesMultilocus microsatellite genotypesCaptive breeding programsSpecies management plansNumber of breedersLonesome GeorgeCharles Darwin Research StationCR haplotypesEvolutionary originGalápagos tortoisesIsland populationsMicrosatellite genotypesRegion haplotypesGiant tortoisesGalápagos IslandsGalápagos ArchipelagoGeographic originMolecular techniquesHaplotypesCaptive tortoisesGenetic divergence, phylogeography and conservation units of giant tortoises from Santa Cruz and Pinzón, Galápagos Islands
Beheregaray L, Ciofi C, Caccone A, Gibbs J, Powell J. Genetic divergence, phylogeography and conservation units of giant tortoises from Santa Cruz and Pinzón, Galápagos Islands. Conservation Genetics 2003, 4: 31-46. DOI: 10.1023/a:1021864214375.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSan CristóbalDeep phylogeographic structureGiant tortoise populationSanta CruzConservation effortsConservation unitsIsland radiationsPhylogeographic structurePopulation colonizationTortoise populationsGenetic structureGalápagos IslandsAdaptive divergenceReproductive isolationGiant tortoisesEnvironmental agenciesGenetic divergenceDemographic historyDescendent populationsMicrosatellite markersGenealogical relationshipsPinzónIslandsCristóbalDivergence
1999
Origin and evolutionary relationships of giant Galápagos tortoises
Caccone A, Gibbs J, Ketmaier V, Suatoni E, Powell J. Origin and evolutionary relationships of giant Galápagos tortoises. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 1999, 96: 13223-13228. PMID: 10557302, PMCID: PMC23929, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.96.23.13223.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGiant Galápagos tortoisesLonesome GeorgeGalápagos tortoisesDistinct genetic unitsMitochondrial DNA sequencesMainland South AmericaSouth AmericaEvolutionary relationshipsPhylogenetic reconstructionSeparate colonizationsSouthern subspeciesPinta IslandChaco tortoisesDNA sequencesGalápagos IslandsClosest livingG. chilensisGenetic unitsSubspeciesCharles DarwinTortoisesLarge islandsSan CristobalChilensisLast survivor