A conservation genetic study and phylogeny of three flying fox (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) species

Genetic diversity of three species of flying foxes (Pteropus hypomelanus, P. pumilus, and P. rodricensis: family Pteropodidae) was determined using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPDs). Two of these species, P. pumilus and P. rodricensis, are in danger of extinction. The third species, P. hypomelanus, is not considered to be threatened. These bats are part of a captive breeding program in which genetic testing is of value in preventing the deleterious effects associated with loss of genetic diversity and inbreeding. Genetic similarity indices were calculated for individuals within each population. Pteropus pumilus displayed the least within-population similarity (0.906), P. hypomelanus displayed an intermediate value (0.916), and P. rodricensis had the greatest within population similarity (0.990). Mean genetic distances calculated from the similarity indices indicate that P. pumilus and P. rodricensis are more closely related to each other (0.205) than either is to P. hypomelanus (P. hypomelanus - P. pumilus (0.395); P. hypomelanus - P. rodricensis (0.484)). The greatest heterozygosity was displayed by P. pumilus (0.207). Pteropus hypomelanus had a slightly smaller value (0.171), and P. rodricensis had the least heterozygosity (0.014). The genetic distances calculated from gene frequencies were only slightly less than those calculated from similarity indices. Paternity exclusion was attempted for pups of P. pumilus and P. rodricensis that were bom in captivity. For two P. rodricensis pups, all potential sires except one were excluded. For the seven P. pumilus pups, paternity exclusion results varied with different primers and are in conflict with data generated by other, more reliable methods.