Phylogeography and Population Genetics of Pteropus Vampyrus, P. Hypomelanus and P. Giganteus.

PhD student: Kevin J. Olival, Columbia University, NY.
Period: 2005

Lubee Bat Conservancy supplied tissue samples and a research grant to support the work of Columbia University doctoral student, Kevin J. Olival. Olival is investigating the phylogeography and population genetics of two species of flying fox, Pteropus vampyrus and P. hypomelanus, in Southeast Asia. Flying foxes (Genus: Pteropus) are the natural reservoir hosts of Nipah virus, a recently-emerged paramyxovirus, which has caused human mortality in Southeast and South Asia. Ecologically, flying foxes are keystone pollinators and seed dispersers important to maintain and propagate tropical rainforests. Little is known about their patterns of movement or population structure. Olival has been studying the genetics of flying foxes in Southeast Asia to understand the ecology of Nipah virus and aid in the conservation of these threatened species. Preliminary data show a lack of population structure for P. vampyrus, but strong structure for a related species, P. hypomelanus. Olival found strong genetic subdivision (FST = .745) between two P. hypomelanus populations (Pulau Tioman, Malaysia and Pulau Panjang, Indonesia (from Lubee) as compared with similarly distributed P. vampyrus populations (FST = .026). Data are corroborated by satellite telemetry studies of P. vampyrus in Malaysia. Results for P. vampyrus, the world’s largest bat, suggests that international cooperation is needed to effectively manage populations of this species for the purposes of both conservation and public health.

Genetics of Pteropus Vampyrus