The Conservation Genetics And The Complete Mitochondrial Genome Of Chinese Alligator, Alligator Sinensis

The conservation genetics and the mitochondrial genome complete sequences of Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) were studied in the present paper.Chinese alligator is an endemic species in China. The likely extinction of it in the wild was recognised. To prevent this species becoming extinct, The Anhui Research Center of Chinese Alligator Reproduction (ARCCAR) was established in 1979, where the biggest captive population of Chinese alligator in the world (Xuanzhou subpopulation, XZSP) is kept. Another captive population (Changxin subpopulation, CXSP) was established by villagers in Changxin, Zhejiang Province.The reproduction rates of the captive population of Chinese alligator between 1993 and 1998 were analyzed. The results showed that the mean fertilization rate was (75.66±2.29)% in the parent generation and (69.24±5.12)% in the first filial generation. The difference between them was significant by t-test. The mean rate of malformed hatchling was (0.30±0.20)% in the parent generation and (1.85±0.95)% in F₁, which differed from each other significantly by t-test. However, there is no difference in the mean hatching rate between the two generations. Based on the analysis of pedigree and effective population size of the captive breeding population of Alligator sinensis in Xuanzhou, we consider that the decline of the reproduction rate and increase of malformed hatchling should be probably attributed to inbreeding. The genetic conservation research of Alligator sinensis was also proposed in the present paper.We examined the genetic variability in two captive subpopulations of the endangered Chinese alligator using RAPDs. Thirty-five random primers were selected among 199 random primers screened, and thirty-one primers were used in the analysis. A total of 193 reproducible RAPD fragments was scored among 43 individuals, of which 21 (10.88%) were polymorphic. The genetic distances between 43 individuals ranged from 0 to 0.0376 with average of 0 .0104±0.0055SE. The genetic similarity in CXSP (0.9948±0.0029SE) were higher than that in XZSP (0.9894±0.0055SE). Founder effect is a possible explanation...