Population diversity and relatedness in Sugarbirds (Promeropidae:Promeropsspp.)

Sugarbirds are a family of two socially-monogamous passerine species endemic to southern Africa. Cape and Gurney’s Sugarbird (and) differ in abundance, dispersion across their range and in the degree of sexual dimorphism in tail length, factors that affect breeding systems and potentially genetic diversity. According to recent data,are in decline and revision of the species’ IUCN conservation status to a threatened category may be warranted. It is therefore necessary to understand genetic diversity and risk of inbreeding in this species. We used six polymorphic microsatellite markers and one mitochondrial gene (ND2) to compare genetic diversity infrom Helderberg Nature Reserve andfrom Golden Gate Highlands National Park, sites at the core of each species distribution. We describe novel universal avian primers which amplify the entire ND2 coding sequence across a broad range of bird orders. We observed high mitochondrial and microsatellite diversity in both sugarbird populations, with no detectable inbreeding and large effective population sizes.

Duke Scholars

Author Evan Haworth