In:
Mammalia, Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Vol. 86, No. 4 ( 2022-07-26), p. 373-379
Abstract:
Gorals are distributed in varied ranges of habitats in South and South–East Asia, and the existence of the number of species in the genus Naemorhedus has been greatly debated from time to time. A school of thought supports the presence of three species, while a recent genetic study recognizes five species of goral throughout their distribution range. However, the unavailability of DNA sequences of gorals from India left a gap in understanding the species occurrence in Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). We revisited goral taxonomy by sequencing mitochondrial Cytochrome b gene (∼404 bp) and control region (∼225 bp) of 75 Himalayan gorals from Western and Central Himalayas in India. Based on various species delineating methods, we suggest that Himalayan goral ( N. goral ) is a highly diverged species and possibly exists into two subspecies, i.e. N. g. bedfordi in Western Himalayas and N. g. goral in the Central Himalayas. We validate the presence of plausibly six species of gorals across the distribution and recognize N. griseus and N. goral are two distinct species considering the observed discrepancy in the available sequences. We also propose that goral populations distributed in Western and Central Himalayas may be considered as two evolutionary significant units (ESUs). This recognition will bring concentrated efforts in further exploring the natural populations and ecological information required for prioritizing conservation and management of Himalayan goral.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0025-1461
,
1864-1547
DOI:
10.1515/mammalia-2021-0152
Language:
English
Publisher:
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Publication Date:
2022
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2298830-0
SSG:
12
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