2020
Colonization history of Galapagos giant tortoises: Insights from mitogenomes support the progression rule
Poulakakis N, Miller J, Jensen E, Beheregaray L, Russello M, Glaberman S, Boore J, Caccone A. Colonization history of Galapagos giant tortoises: Insights from mitogenomes support the progression rule. Journal Of Zoological Systematics & Evolutionary Research 2020, 58: 1262-1275. DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12387.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGalapagos giant tortoisesGiant tortoisesPhylogeographic scenarioMitochondrial genomeProgression rulePhylogenetic relationshipsGalapagos IslandsExtinct speciesOlder islandsHuman-mediated dispersal eventsComplete mitochondrial genomeSouth American ancestorAncestral area reconstructionNon-native speciesMaximum likelihood analysisContribution of colonizationColonization historyDispersal eventsMultiple colonizationsAmerican ancestorsPhylogenetic treeAncestral formArea reconstructionSitu speciationBiogeographic approach
2019
Genetically informed captive breeding of hybrids of an extinct species of Galapagos tortoise
Quinzin M, Sandoval‐Castillo J, Miller J, Beheregaray L, Russello M, Hunter E, Gibbs J, Tapia W, Villalva F, Caccone A. Genetically informed captive breeding of hybrids of an extinct species of Galapagos tortoise. Conservation Biology 2019, 33: 1404-1414. PMID: 30901116, DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13319.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOverall genetic diversityGenetic diversityExtinct speciesC. nigerFloreana IslandExtinct taxaCaptive breeding strategiesCaptive breeding programsSmall breeding groupsGalapagos tortoisesSpecies restoration programsHigh ancestrySpecies biologyExtant speciesGenetic integrityCaptive breedingGenomic representationAdaptive potentialSpecies conservationBreeding strategiesSpecies recoveryGenotypic dataEndemic rangeBiodiversity conservationEcosystem restoration
2016
I-HEDGE: determining the optimum complementary sets of taxa for conservation using evolutionary isolation
Jensen E, Mooers A, Caccone A, Russello M. I-HEDGE: determining the optimum complementary sets of taxa for conservation using evolutionary isolation. PeerJ 2016, 4: e2350. PMID: 27635324, PMCID: PMC5012326, DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2350.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPhylogenetic diversityConservation prioritizationMitochondrial control region dataCurrent biodiversity crisisTotal phylogenetic diversityImportance of speciesGiant Galápagos tortoisesControl region dataSubset of taxaEvolutionary distinctivenessBiodiversity crisisConservation effortsEvolutionary isolationExtinction probabilityInordinate lossGalápagos tortoisesList of rankingsAccount complementarityExtinct speciesEvolutionary historyPhylogenetic networksDiversitySpeciesTaxaPrioritization
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
2011
Unravelling the peculiarities of island life: vicariance, dispersal and the diversification of the extinct and extant giant Galápagos tortoises
POULAKAKIS N, RUSSELLO M, GEIST D, CACCONE A. Unravelling the peculiarities of island life: vicariance, dispersal and the diversification of the extinct and extant giant Galápagos tortoises. Molecular Ecology 2011, 21: 160-173. PMID: 22098061, DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05370.x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGiant Galápagos tortoisesHuman-mediated dispersal eventsVicariant eventsGalápagos tortoisesMainland South AmericaHuman activitiesIndependent evolutionary unitsAvailable geological dataSimple linear trendRecent human activitiesIsland lifeEvolutionary unitsEndangered taxaColonization eventsExtant speciesDispersal eventsEvolutionary historyGeological dataMultiple colonizationsExtinct speciesOcean islandsDNA dataOlder islandsYounger islandsOceanic islands
2010
DNA from the Past Informs Ex Situ Conservation for the Future: An “Extinct” Species of Galápagos Tortoise Identified in Captivity
Russello MA, Poulakakis N, Gibbs JP, Tapia W, Benavides E, Powell JR, Caccone A. DNA from the Past Informs Ex Situ Conservation for the Future: An “Extinct” Species of Galápagos Tortoise Identified in Captivity. PLOS ONE 2010, 5: e8683. PMID: 20084268, PMCID: PMC2800188, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008683.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsExtinct speciesCaptive individualsGenotypic dataExtant speciesGalápagos tortoisesNative rangeTortoise speciesMitochondrial DNA control region haplotypesHistorical DNA analysisMicrosatellite genotypic dataControl region haplotypesMitochondrial DNA haplotypesEx situ conservationSpecies recovery effortsConservation-related researchIslands of IsabelaCryptic diversityBayesian assignmentDNA haplotypesSitu conservationFloreana IslandConservation statusBreeding effortsMicrosatellite genotypesMuseum specimens
2008
Historical DNA analysis reveals living descendants of an extinct species of Galápagos tortoise
Poulakakis N, Glaberman S, Russello M, Beheregaray LB, Ciofi C, Powell JR, Caccone A. Historical DNA analysis reveals living descendants of an extinct species of Galápagos tortoise. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2008, 105: 15464-15469. PMID: 18809928, PMCID: PMC2563078, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0805340105.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMuseum specimensHistorical DNA analysisDiversification of organismsCaptive breeding programsIsland of FloreanaModern DNA techniquesMicrosatellite dataGalápagos tortoisesConservation biologyMitochondrial DNANatural selectionExtinct speciesExtinct taxaBreeding programsGiant tortoisesIntense harvestingGenetic analysisGenetic dataGalápagos ArchipelagoTortoise populationsDNA techniquesHuman exploitationNearby islandsEnough individualsSpecies
2005
A rapid loss of stripes: the evolutionary history of the extinct quagga
Leonard J, Rohland N, Glaberman S, Fleischer R, Caccone A, Hofreiter M. A rapid loss of stripes: the evolutionary history of the extinct quagga. Biology Letters 2005, 1: 291-295. PMID: 17148190, PMCID: PMC1617154, DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2005.0323.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEvolutionary historyDNA sequencesShort mitochondrial DNA sequencesMitochondrial DNA sequencesPlains zebraLittle genetic diversityPleistocene climate changePhylogeographic patternsGenetic diversityHolarctic faunaExtinct quaggaFirst extinct speciesAncient DNAExtinct speciesMuseum skinsGenetic informationQuaggaZebraDNARapid lossGlacial MaximumSequenceClimate changeFaunaSpecies