Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

Genetic surprise– Giraffes are actually four different species, not one

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


Long believed to have been a single species of mammal with multiple sub-species, giraffes are actually four different types of creatures which have not exchanged DNA through cross-breeding for millions of years, according to new research published in the journal Current Biology.

Study authors conservation biologist Julian Fennessy from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), geneticist Axel Janke from the Senkenberg Research Institute in Germany and colleagues made the surprising discovery while analyzing the genes of the world’s tallest mammals.

Previously, all giraffes has been officially classified as the species Giraffa camelopardalis, but as Janke explained to the New York Times on Thursday, some of the differences in giraffe DNA are “so large that we have to in fact describe four new species. Some of the differences were as large or larger than the differences between brown bears and polar bears.”

As such, what started as an to see if different subspecies could be grouped together in protected areas without incident resulted in the identification of four distinct species – the southern giraffe, the Masai giraffe, the reticulated giraffe, and the northern giraffe – based on the team’s study of the creatures’ mitochondrial DNA, according to BBC News.

Reclassification could help shape future conservation efforts

As Fennessy told ResearchGate, he recruited Janke five years ago to help on a genetic testing project involving giraffes. He had been collecting tissue samples from the long-necked animals for well over a decade and wanted to see how similar or different each sub-species were. They tested the DNA of more than 200 giraffes from across Africa as part of the project.

First, they analyzed genetic markers from mitochondrial DNA, a group of genes located within the part of the cell that converts chemical energy from food into a usable form, and discovered a surprising level of genetic differentiation among the different subspecies of the creatures. Next, they expanded their research, looking at more giraffe populations and genetic markers, and found that genetic exchange among the different groups is rare and possibly even nonexistent.

“This genetic isolation defines them as distinct species, as opposed to subspecies,” Fennessy told ResearchGate. He added that they were “extremely surprised because from our observations the morphological and coat pattern differences between giraffe are minor… we were not interested in splitting or clumping giraffe, but we let the results speak for themselves, and the message is very clear.”

Based on their findings, the new species and subspecies are the southern giraffe (Giraffa giraffa), which includes the Angolan (G. g. angolensis) and South African (G. g. giraffa) subspecies; the northern giraffe (G. camelopardalis), which includes the Kordofan (G. c. antiquorum), Nubian (G. c. camelopardalis) and West African (G. c. peralta) subspecies; the darker-colored Masai giraffe (G. tippelskirchi); and the reticulated giraffe (G. reticulata).

University of Manchester zoology professor Matthew Cobb, who was not involved in the study, told BBC News that this was “an important finding that will enable conservation biologists to target their efforts and, perhaps, to come up with new conservation approaches in captivity or in the wild, based on the genetic similarities and differences between these groups.”

—–

Image credit: Thinkstock

The post Genetic surprise– Giraffes are actually four different species, not one appeared first on Redorbit.

redOrbit.com
offers Science, Space, Technology, Health news, videos, images and reference information. For the latest science news, space news, technology news, health news visit redOrbit.com frequently. Learn something new every day.”


Source: http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1113415777/giraffes-four-species-091016/


Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Humic & Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex

HerbAnomic’s Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex is a revolutionary New Humic and Fulvic Acid Complex designed to support your body at the cellular level. Our product has been thoroughly tested by an ISO/IEC Certified Lab for toxins and Heavy metals as well as for trace mineral content. We KNOW we have NO lead, arsenic, mercury, aluminum etc. in our Formula. This Humic & Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral complex has high trace levels of naturally occurring Humic and Fulvic Acids as well as high trace levels of Zinc, Iron, Magnesium, Molybdenum, Potassium and more. There is a wide range of up to 70 trace minerals which occur naturally in our Complex at varying levels. We Choose to list the 8 substances which occur in higher trace levels on our supplement panel. We don’t claim a high number of minerals as other Humic and Fulvic Supplements do and leave you to guess which elements you’ll be getting. Order Your Humic Fulvic for Your Family by Clicking on this Link , or the Banner Below.



Our Formula is an exceptional value compared to other Humic Fulvic Minerals because...


It’s OXYGENATED

It Always Tests at 9.5+ pH

Preservative and Chemical Free

Allergen Free

Comes From a Pure, Unpolluted, Organic Source

Is an Excellent Source for Trace Minerals

Is From Whole, Prehisoric Plant Based Origin Material With Ionic Minerals and Constituents

Highly Conductive/Full of Extra Electrons

Is a Full Spectrum Complex


Our Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex has Minerals, Amino Acids, Poly Electrolytes, Phytochemicals, Polyphenols, Bioflavonoids and Trace Vitamins included with the Humic and Fulvic Acid. Our Source material is high in these constituents, where other manufacturers use inferior materials.


Try Our Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex today. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.

Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    Total 1 comment
    • Sucking Chest Wound

      Cool….which one is a duck?

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.