mtDNA diversity in a rabbit population from Sicily (Italy)

Abstract

The European rabbitOryctolagus cuniculus( O. c. ) is a small game species found in several parts of the world and representsan important resource for many predators. It has been classified as a Near-Threatened species on the Red List of Italian Vertebrates eventhough it is also considered to be an agricultural pest species in many areas. It is a polytypic species present as two known subspecies:O.c. cuniculusandO. c. algirus . The Italian geographical distribution of the two subspecies is known, but mostly based on morphological,biogeographic, and historical literature data. In Sicily, there is no complete genetic description of the actual existing subspecies; previousstudies have only reported the differences in size of the Sicilian rabbit population. In this study, we analyzed genetic data within aphylogenetic framework through mitochondrial (mt) cytochromeb(cytb ) DNA from 13 rabbit samples collected from different sites inSicily. We reconstructed the intraspecific phylogeny by comparing cytbmtDNA sequences of 13 newly isolatedO. cuniculushaplotypesfrom Sicily and 7 individuals from other areas (Canada, France, Mexico, North Italy, South Africa, Spain, Sweden). Our results show thatthe rabbit population from Sicily has a mitochondrial type (lineage B) previously shown to be associated withO. c. cuniculus , which issimilar to sequences from rabbits in Northeast Spain, South France, Sweden, and South Africa.