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. 2023 Aug 2;18(8):e0288097.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288097. eCollection 2023.

Genetic diversity in ex situ populations of the endangered Leontopithecus chrysomelas and implications for its conservation

Gabriela Guadalupe Aliaga-Samanez  1 , Nathalia Bulhões Javarotti  1 , Gisele Orecife  1 , Karla Chávez-Congrains  1 , Alcides Pissinatti  2 , Cauê Monticelli  3 , Mara Cristina Marques  4 , Peter Galbusera  5 , Pedro Manoel Galetti Jr  1 , Patrícia Domingues de Freitas  1
Affiliations

Genetic diversity in ex situ populations of the endangered Leontopithecus chrysomelas and implications for its conservation

Gabriela Guadalupe Aliaga-Samanez et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Leontopithecus chrysomelas, the Golden-headed Lion Tamarin (GHLT), is an endangered and endemic Neotropical primate from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil that has suffered a reduction of its habitat and population size in the wild. Ex situ populations have been established as a relevant alternative to safeguard the species and retain its genetic diversity and evolutionary potential. This study evaluated the genetic diversity and structure of the two main Brazilian captive populations of GHLT, which have been under human care at the Primatology Center of Rio de Janeiro (CPRJ) and the Zoological Park Foundation of São Paulo (FPZSP). Our results revealed levels of genetic diversity overall comparable to those observed for other Leontopithecus species and for ex situ and in situ populations of GHLT previously studied. Bayesian and principal coordinate analyses showed a moderate differentiation between CPRJ and FPZSP populations. Both populations presented observed heterozygosity values higher than expected heterozygosity values for most of the microsatellites used in this study, suggesting that the management has been efficient in avoiding an increase in homozygosity. However, simulations point to a significant loss of genetic diversity in the next 100 years, mainly in the FPZSP population. Such data are relevant for further decision-making on the metapopulation management of L. chrysomelas in captive conditions and for integrating in situ and ex situ conservation plans.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Population differentiation analyses for 104 individuals of Leontopithecus chrysomelas from the Primatology Center of Rio de Janeiro (CPRJ) and the Zoological Park Foundation of São Paulo (FPZSP).
(A) Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), showing the scores on the first (PCO1) and second (PCO2) principal coordinate. (B) Structure analysis results for CPRJ and FPZSP captive populations, considering the most probable K value (K = 2).
Fig 2
Fig 2. Prediction analysis for observed allele number, expected heterozygosity and observed heterozygosity reductions of the Brazilian ex situ populations of Leontopithecus chrysomelas from the Primatology Center of Rio de Janeiro (CPRJ) (A-C) and the Zoological Park Foundation of São Paulo (FPZSP) (D-F), for the next 100 years, using 100% of the effective population sizes (CPRJ: Ne = 26; FPZP: Ne = 11), and botlenecks of 20% and 50%.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Prediction analysis for observed allele number, expected heterozygosity and observed heterozygosity reductions of the Brazilian ex situ population of Leontopithecus chrysomelas from the Primatology Center of Rio de Janeiro (CPRJ) and the Zoological Park Foundation of São Paulo (FPZSP), analyzed as a single population, for the next 100 years, using 100% of the effective population size (CPRJ-FPZP, Ne = 20), and botlenecks of 20% and 50%.
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