Rapid genetic divergence and mitonuclear discordance in the Taliang knobby newt (Liangshantriton taliangensis, Salamandridae, Caudata) and their driving forces—SHu-2022
Origin and maintenance of species in the Hengduan Mountains Region (HMR) is a study hotspot. Explore species-specific reactions to historical and contemporary environmental changes to better understand this region's role in conserving biodiversity. Mitochondrial and microsatellite diversities were used to assess the contributions of paleogeological events, Pleistocene climatic oscillations, and contemporary landscape characteristics to the rapid intraspecific diversification of Liangshantriton taliangensis, a vulnerable amphibian endemic to several sky-island mountains in the southeastern HMR. East Asian monsoon, local raising events (Xigeda Formation strata), and Early-Middle Pleistocene transition (EMPT) fostered rapid L. taliangensis divergence during the Pleistocene, giving eight mitochondrial and six nuclear genetic lineages. Isolation by resistance fixed population genetic structures. Ecological niche models and high genetic diversity helped identify multiple in situ refugia for L. taliangensis during glacial-interglacial cycles. Dramatic climatic variations increased population isolation and admixture in glacial refugia. Mitonuclear discordance presumably resulted via secondary contact and/or female-biased dissemination. Postglacial expansion created Ganluo and Chuhongjue. Conservation recommendations include identifying conservation management units and dispersal corridors.
