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Puerto Rico and Florida manatees represent genetically distinct groups

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Abstract

The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) populations in Florida (T. m. latirostris) and Puerto Rico (T. m. manatus) are considered distinct subspecies and are listed together as endangered under the United States Endangered Species Act. Sustained management and conservation efforts for the Florida subspecies have led to the suggested reclassification of the species to a threatened or delisted status. However, the two populations are geographically distant, morphologically distinct, and habitat degradation and boat strikes continue to threaten the Puerto Rico population. Here, 15 microsatellite markers and mitochondrial control region sequences were used to determine the relatedness of the two populations and investigate the genetic diversity and phylogeographic organization of the Puerto Rico population. Highly divergent allele frequencies were identified between Florida and Puerto Rico using microsatellite (F ST  = 0.16; R ST  = 0.12 (P < 0.001)) and mitochondrial (F ST  = 0.66; Ф ST  = 0.50 (P < 0.001)) DNA. Microsatellite Bayesian cluster analyses detected two populations (K = 2) and no admixture or recent migrants between Florida (q = 0.99) and Puerto Rico (q = 0.98). The microsatellite genetic diversity values in Puerto Rico (HE = 0.45; NA = 3.9), were similar, but lower than those previously identified in Florida (HE = 0.48, NA = 4.8). Within Puerto Rico, the mitochondrial genetic diversity values (π = 0.001; h = 0.49) were slightly lower than those previously reported (π = 0.002; h = 0.54) and strong phylogeographic structure was identified (F ST global = 0.82; Ф ST global = 0.78 (P < 0.001)). The genetic division with Florida, low diversity, small population size (N = 250), and distinct threats and habitat emphasize the need for separate protections in Puerto Rico. Conservation efforts including threat mitigation, migration corridors, and protection of subpopulations could lead to improved genetic variation in the endangered Puerto Rico manatee population.

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Acknowledgments

This work was conducted under the USFWS Wildlife Research Permit MA791721, issued to the USGS, Sirenia Project. Manatee rescue, carcass salvage, and specimen collection in Puerto Rico were conducted under USFWS permits PRT-770191, and under a cooperative agreement with Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. All samples were provided by the USGS, Sirenia Project and Caribbean Stranding Network. Funding for this project was provided by the USGS, the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine Aquatic Animal Health Program, the National Science Foundation and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Legislature. We would like to thank James Reid (USGS) and the reviewers for their guidance and critical review. We also would like to thank Ginger Clark, Sean McCann, and the Genetic Analysis Laboratory of the University of Florida for assistance with laboratory analysis. We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Caribbean Stranding Network members and volunteers in the rescue, salvage, and necropsy of the manatee carcasses. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sirenia Project, Southeast Ecological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 7920 NW 71st Street, Gainesville, FL, 32653, USA

    Margaret E. Hunter & Robert K. Bonde

  2. Aquatic Animal Health Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, PO Box 100136, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA

    Margaret E. Hunter, Robert K. Bonde & Peter M. McGuire

  3. Puerto Rico Manatee Conservation Center, Inter American University of Puerto Rico, PO Box 361715, San Juan, PR, 00936, USA

    Antonio A. Mignucci-Giannoni

  4. Biology Department, Stevenson University, 1525 Greenspring Valley Road, Stevenson, MD, 21153, USA

    Kimberly Pause Tucker

  5. Aquatic Ecology Branch, Leetown Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 11649 Leetown Road, Kearneysville, WV, 25430, USA

    Timothy L. King

  6. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, 4800 SW 35th Dr, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA

    Brian A. Gray

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  1. Margaret E. Hunter
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Correspondence to Margaret E. Hunter.

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Hunter, M.E., Mignucci-Giannoni, A.A., Tucker, K.P. et al. Puerto Rico and Florida manatees represent genetically distinct groups. Conserv Genet 13, 1623–1635 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-012-0414-2

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