Unexpected shallow genetic divergence in Turks Island boas (Epicrates c. chrysogaster) reveals single evolutionarily significant unit for conservation

Abstract

... The subspecies has likely been extirpated from several islands in its historic range, and all remaining populations are threatened with extirpation owing to habitat loss, introduced feral predators, malicious killing, and vehicle strikes. To assist conservation efforts, we undertook a genetic analysis of 53 individual E. c. chrysogaster, representing five island populations, with the goal of identifying existing population structure and genetic diversity. For each snake sampled, we sequenced one mitochondrial and two nuclear genes, resulting in 1591 bp of sequence, and screened nine microsatellite loci....