Discovery of a wild, genetically pure Chinese giant salamander creates new conservation opportunities

Jing Chai; Chen-Qi Lu; Mu-Rong Yi; Nian-Hua Dai; Xiao-Dong Weng; Ming-Xiao Di; Yong Peng; Yong Tang; Qing-Hua Shan; Kai Wang; Huan-Zhang Liu; Hai-Peng Zhao; Jie-Qiong Jin; Ru-Jun Cao; Ping Lu; Lai-Chun Luo; Robert W. Murphy; Ya-Ping Zhang; Jing Che

doi:10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.101

Volume 43 Issue 3

May 2022

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Article Navigation > Zoological Research > 2022 > 43(3): 469-480

Jing Chai, Chen-Qi Lu, Mu-Rong Yi, Nian-Hua Dai, Xiao-Dong Weng, Ming-Xiao Di, Yong Peng, Yong Tang, Qing-Hua Shan, Kai Wang, Huan-Zhang Liu, Hai-Peng Zhao, Jie-Qiong Jin, Ru-Jun Cao, Ping Lu, Lai-Chun Luo, Robert W. Murphy, Ya-Ping Zhang, Jing Che. Discovery of a wild, genetically pure Chinese giant salamander creates new conservation opportunities. Zoological Research, 2022, 43(3): 469-480. doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.101

Citation:

Jing Chai, Chen-Qi Lu, Mu-Rong Yi, Nian-Hua Dai, Xiao-Dong Weng, Ming-Xiao Di, Yong Peng, Yong Tang, Qing-Hua Shan, Kai Wang, Huan-Zhang Liu, Hai-Peng Zhao, Jie-Qiong Jin, Ru-Jun Cao, Ping Lu, Lai-Chun Luo, Robert W. Murphy, Ya-Ping Zhang, Jing Che. Discovery of a wild, genetically pure Chinese giant salamander creates new conservation opportunities. Zoological Research, 2022, 43(3): 469-480. doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.101

Citation:

Jing Chai, Chen-Qi Lu, Mu-Rong Yi, Nian-Hua Dai, Xiao-Dong Weng, Ming-Xiao Di, Yong Peng, Yong Tang, Qing-Hua Shan, Kai Wang, Huan-Zhang Liu, Hai-Peng Zhao, Jie-Qiong Jin, Ru-Jun Cao, Ping Lu, Lai-Chun Luo, Robert W. Murphy, Ya-Ping Zhang, Jing Che. Discovery of a wild, genetically pure Chinese giant salamander creates new conservation opportunities. Zoological Research, 2022, 43(3): 469-480. doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.101

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Discovery of a wild, genetically pure Chinese giant salamander creates new conservation opportunities

doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.101

Jing Chai^{1, #},
Chen-Qi Lu^{1, 10, #},
Mu-Rong Yi^{1, 10, #},
Nian-Hua Dai²,
Xiao-Dong Weng²,
Ming-Xiao Di²,
Yong Peng³,
Yong Tang³,
Qing-Hua Shan³,
Kai Wang⁴,
Huan-Zhang Liu⁵,
Hai-Peng Zhao⁶,
Jie-Qiong Jin¹,
Ru-Jun Cao^{1, 10},
Ping Lu²,
Lai-Chun Luo⁷,
Robert W. Murphy^{1, 8
,
,},
Ya-Ping Zhang^{1
,
,},
Jing Che^{1, 9
,
,}

1.
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
2.
Institute of Biological Resources, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330096, China
3.
Jiangxi Jiulingshan National Nature Reserve, Jing’an, Jiangxi 330600, China
4.
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History & Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman 73072, USA
5.
The Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Conservation of Aquatic Organisms, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
6.
School of Life Science, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475001, China
7.
Jing’an County Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jing’an, Jiangxi 330600, China
8.
Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2C6, Canada
9.
Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Security of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
10.
Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650204, China

#Authors contributed equally to this work

Funds: This work was equally supported by the STS Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB31000000). The Animal Branch of the Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Large Research Infrastructure Funding), and Jiangxi Academy of Sciences (2021YSBG50008) partially supported it

More Information

Corresponding author: E-mail: chej@mail.kiz.ac.cn; zhangyp@mail.kiz.ac.cn; bob.murphy@utoronto.ca
Received Date: 2022-03-10
Accepted Date: 2022-04-22

Published Online: 2022-04-29

Publish Date: 2022-05-18

Abstract

Abstract

Effective conservation of threatened biota relies on accurate assessments and scientific guidance. As an unfortunate example, Chinese giant salamanders (Andrias, CGS) remain critically endangered in nature. Misguided conservation efforts, e.g., commercial propagation and releasing of millions of likely non-indigenous or interspecific hybrids, have further compromised conservation initiatives. Limited information on wild populations of CGS poses a significant conservation challenge. Following 18-month long field monitoring, we now report the discovery of a wild population of CGS in a closed nature reserve in Jiangxi Province, China. Genomic assessments reveal its genetic distinctiveness and do not detect genetic admixture with other species. Based on morphological and molecular evidences, we describe this CGS as a new species Andrias jiangxiensis sp. nov. This is the only known species of CGS today with a genetically pure, reproducing, in situ population. This discovery emphasizes the important role that closed nature reserves play in protecting species, and the necessity of integrating long-term field monitoring and genetic assessments. It sets a new pathway for discovering and conserving endangered species, especially for those biotas that are similarly being extirpated by anthropogenic translocations and overexploitation.
- Conservation,
- Human translocation,
- Genetic homogenization,
- Field monitoring,
- Taxonomy

#Authors contributed equally to this work

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References(45)

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