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 ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsChimeraEcuadorExtinction, BiologicalGenetic VariationGenetics, PopulationMicrosatellite RepeatsTurtlesConceptsFloreana 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 ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBiological EvolutionDNA, MitochondrialExtinction, BiologicalGenetic VariationMolecular Sequence DataPhylogenyPhylogeographySequence Analysis, DNATurtlesConceptsGiant 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 ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsDNA, MitochondrialEcuadorExtinction, BiologicalHumansMolecular Sequence DataPhylogenySequence Analysis, DNASpecies SpecificityTurtlesConceptsMuseum 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
2007
Giant Galápagos tortoises; molecular genetic analyses identify a trans-island hybrid in a repatriation program of an endangered taxon
Milinkovitch MC, Monteyne D, Russello M, Gibbs JP, Snell HL, Tapia W, Marquez C, Caccone A, Powell JR. Giant Galápagos tortoises; molecular genetic analyses identify a trans-island hybrid in a repatriation program of an endangered taxon. BMC Ecology And Evolution 2007, 7: 2. PMID: 17302982, PMCID: PMC1820773, DOI: 10.1186/1472-6785-7-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMolecular genetic analysisGenetic analysisIsland of EspañolaEffective population sizeGalápagos tortoisesGenetic integrityConservation significanceReproductive successHuman transportMicrosatellite allelesPopulation sizeTaxaSex ratioRepatriation programMajor islandsTortoisesFemale tortoisesSingle contaminationBreedersFurther contaminationIslandsHybridsPinzónContaminationLinage
2005
A cryptic taxon of Galpagos tortoise in conservation peril
Russello M, Glaberman S, Gibbs J, Marquez C, Powell J, Caccone A. A cryptic taxon of Galpagos tortoise in conservation peril. Biology Letters 2005, 1: 287-290. PMID: 17148189, PMCID: PMC1617146, DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2005.0317.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsDNAExtinction, BiologicalGenetic MarkersGenetic VariationGenetics, PopulationPhylogenySpecies SpecificityTurtlesConceptsBiological diversityFormal taxonomic designationGenetic divergenceGalápagos tortoisesAccurate taxonomyDistinct lineagesTaxonomic investigationGenetic divisionTaxonomic designationsSingle taxonGiant tortoisesBad taxonomyEvolutionary heritageNew taxonTaxaAccessible islandsTortoisesHuman intellectual historyDiversityConservationSanta CruzTaxonomyLineagesGalápagosOrganismsA 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