2022
The Galapagos giant tortoise Chelonoidis phantasticus is not extinct
Jensen E, Gaughran S, Fusco N, Poulakakis N, Tapia W, Sevilla C, Málaga J, Mariani C, Gibbs J, Caccone A. The Galapagos giant tortoise Chelonoidis phantasticus is not extinct. Communications Biology 2022, 5: 546. PMID: 35681083, PMCID: PMC9184544, DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03483-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGalapagos giant tortoisesGiant tortoisesMitochondrial DNA phylogenyDNA phylogenyMonophyletic groupCarapace morphologyPhylogeny GroupSame lineagePopulation sizeSpeciesTortoisesLineagesFemale tortoisesSingle specimenSingle individualPhylogenyCladeGenomeExtinctSaddlebackContinued existenceIslandsDiscovery
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
2014
Lineage fusion in Galápagos giant tortoises
Garrick R, Benavides E, Russello M, Hyseni C, Edwards D, Gibbs J, Tapia W, Ciofi C, Caccone A. Lineage fusion in Galápagos giant tortoises. Molecular Ecology 2014, 23: 5276-5290. PMID: 25223395, DOI: 10.1111/mec.12919.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLineage fusionGiant tortoise speciesGalápagos giant tortoisesWidespread introgressive hybridizationLong generation timesWolf VolcanoCryptic lineagesReticulate evolutionIntrogressive hybridizationLineage splittingMicrosatellite dataGalápagos tortoisesPopulation geneticsEvolutionary phenomenaMate selectivityTortoise speciesGiant tortoisesLineagesGeneration timeRapid extinctionTortoisesPurebred femalesFusionIslandsHistorical reconstruction
2013
The genetic legacy of Lonesome George survives: Giant tortoises with Pinta Island ancestry identified in Galápagos
Edwards D, Benavides E, Garrick R, Gibbs J, Russello M, Dion K, Hyseni C, Flanagan J, Tapia W, Caccone A. The genetic legacy of Lonesome George survives: Giant tortoises with Pinta Island ancestry identified in Galápagos. Biological Conservation 2013, 157: 225-228. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2012.10.014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLonesome GeorgeGiant tortoise speciesFirst-generation hybridsPurebred individualsAdditional hybridsPinta IslandGeneration hybridsGenetic legacyTortoise speciesGiant tortoisesSpecies recoveryGalápagos ArchipelagoRelative abundanceIsabela IslandTortoisesUnrelated individualsAdditional individualsAncestryHybridsIslands
2012
Recovery of a nearly extinct Galápagos tortoise despite minimal genetic variation
Milinkovitch MC, Kanitz R, Tiedemann R, Tapia W, Llerena F, Caccone A, Gibbs JP, Powell JR. Recovery of a nearly extinct Galápagos tortoise despite minimal genetic variation. Evolutionary Applications 2012, 6: 377-383. PMID: 23467700, PMCID: PMC3586625, DOI: 10.1111/eva.12014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEspañola IslandGenetic variationEffective population sizeUnequal reproductive successMinimal genetic variationMolecular genetic analysisGalápagos tortoisesReproductive successCaptive populationsNonrandom matingBreeding regimesParental populationsGenetic analysisMorphological dataPopulation sizeTortoise sizeSpeciesCaptivityNumber of animalsTortoisesIslandsInbreedingGalápagosMatingRepatriation effortsGenetic 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
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
2006
A set of highly discriminating microsatellite loci for the Galápagos marine iguana Amblyrhynchus cristatus
STEINFARTZ S, CACCONE A. A set of highly discriminating microsatellite loci for the Galápagos marine iguana Amblyrhynchus cristatus. Molecular Ecology Resources 2006, 6: 927-929. DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-8286.2006.01402.x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAncient DNA forces reconsideration of evolutionary history of Mediterranean pygmy elephantids
Poulakakis N, Parmakelis A, Lymberakis P, Mylonas M, Zouros E, Reese D, Glaberman S, Caccone A. Ancient DNA forces reconsideration of evolutionary history of Mediterranean pygmy elephantids. Biology Letters 2006, 2: 451-454. PMID: 17148428, PMCID: PMC1686204, DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2006.0467.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEvolutionary historyDNA sequencesAncient DNA studiesDNA fragmentsMultiple displacement amplification (MDA) methodPygmy mammothsIndependent historyShort DNA sequencesB-DNA fragmentEastern MediterraneanMediterranean islandsPhylogenetic analysisMolecular dataMainland samplesCretan sampleDNA studiesHistoryElephantidsDiagnostic sitesElephasPrevailing viewIslandsMammothsMammuthusSequence
2005
Development of primers to characterize the mitochondrial control region of Galápagos land and marine iguanas (Conolophus and Amblyrhynchus)
HANLEY T, CACCONE A. Development of primers to characterize the mitochondrial control region of Galápagos land and marine iguanas (Conolophus and Amblyrhynchus). Molecular Ecology Resources 2005, 5: 599-601. DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-8286.2005.01004.x.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2004
Genetic analysis of a successful repatriation programme: giant Galpagos tortoises
Milinkovitch M, Monteyne D, Gibbs J, Fritts T, Tapia W, Snell H, Tiedemann R, Caccone A, Powell J. Genetic analysis of a successful repatriation programme: giant Galpagos tortoises. Proceedings Of The Royal Society B 2004, 271: 341-345. PMID: 15101691, PMCID: PMC1691607, DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2003.2607.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenetic variationIsland of EspañolaGiant Galápagos tortoisesMicrosatellite DNA markersNatural populationsGalápagos tortoisesDNA markersNatural habitatsSitu reproductionBreeding programsGenetic analysisRepatriation programBreedersTortoisesOffspringFurther lossHabitatsTaxaPaternitySpeciesCaptivityReproductionPopulationIslandsVariation
2003
Genetic 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