Abstract
Inter-specific hybrid zones for Hylobates gibbons are known in Southeast Asia. Among these, one hybrid zone between Hylobates lar and H. pileatus is located in Khao Yai National Park, Thailand. To find molecular evidence for the natural hybridization of the gibbons in this region, we studied mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of 68 gibbons of the H. lar phenotype living adjacent to the hybrid zone. Nucleotide sequencing of a fragment of mtDNA spanning hyper variable segment I showed that nine gibbons had an mtDNA haplotype of H. pileatus, and that seven of these nine gibbons belonged to a single maternal lineage over three generations. It is thus confirmed that introgression between H. lar and H. pileatus exists and the initial hybridization took place ages ago.
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Acknowledgments
We thank the Superintendent of Khao Yai National Park, Manoch Ganpanakngan, our field assistants (Chalaem Sagnate and Surasack Homros), and the Director of CITES Management Authority of Thailand, Watana Vetayaprasit. Kind help of Suraphong Chaweepak, Jacqueline Prime, Bunhoom Insumran, and Danai Tiwawech is also appreciated. We would like to express our gratitude to the National Research Council of Thailand, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation, and Khao Yai National Park. This study was partly supported by the Sasakawa Scientific Research Grant from the Japan Science Society, the Academic Research Grant Program (International) from the University of Tokyo, the Global COE Program (Integrative Life Sciences Based on the Study of Biosignaling Mechanism), and KAKENHI.
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Matsudaira, K., Reichard, U.H., Malaivijitnond, S. et al. Molecular evidence for the introgression between Hylobates lar and H. pileatus in the wild. Primates 54, 33–37 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-012-0323-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-012-0323-5