Bursell, Madeline; Dikow, Rebecca; Johnson, Warren; Koepfli, Klaus-Peter; Frandsen, Paul (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Frandsen, Paul (Life Sciences, Plant and Wildlife Sciences)
Due to decreasing costs in genome sequencing, conservation genomics is a field that has experienced immense growth over the last few years. By comparing whole genome data within threatened and endangered populations, we can estimate important elements in conservation such as levels of homozygosity and demographic histories that reveal the level of endangerment of a species. This information informs conservation priorities and captive breeding programs. In the present study, we focus on two species of clouded leopards: Neofelis nebulosa and Neofelis diardi. N. nebulosa is a species of clouded leopard that lives in mainland southeast Asia. N.diardi inhabits the islands of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia. While these two species were initially thought to be a single species, evidence, such as differences in fur color and sizes of cloud markings, hint that they have diverged into two species. To shed more light on the genomic differences between them, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated whole genomes from both species. With genomes, we will explore differences in demographic histories, variation in blocks of homozygosity, and generate a whole genome phylogeny with other large cat species. Using these analyses, we share insights that will inform the conservation status of the two species.