This study focuses on the taxonomic, evolutionary and conservation implications of a striking reduction in body size previously observed in an island population of gazelles by comparing the genetic structure of island and mainland populations. Mitochondrial sequence diversity of the mainland population was found to be comparable to that of other true gazelles of East Africa. We discuss this in the context of the prolonged armed conflict in our study region. In contrast, the gazelles on Dahlak Kebir, one of the over 200 islands and islets of the Dahlak archipelago on the Red Sea, were found to be genetically depauperate. Nucleotide and haplotype diversity estimates were a sixth and a third of that of the mainland population respectively. Using estimates of Tajima’s D statistic, we inferred that the Dahlak population has undergone expansion after a recent bottleneck. A minimum spanning genealogical network of mitochondrial control region sequences produced testable hypotheses on the route and timing of the colonization of Dahlak Kebir by gazelles from the mainland. Our mitochondrial DNA dataset has resolved the taxonomic ambiguity of the island gazelles. Their genetic distinctiveness and, their striking conformity to the Island Rule that was highlighted in a previous study, are discussed from evolutionary and conservation perspectives.

中文翻译：

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Soemmerring瞪羚（Nanger soemmerringii）在形态上不同的大陆和岛屿种群中的遗传变异

这项研究通过比较海岛和大陆种群的遗传结构，着眼于先前在羚羊种群中观察到的体重急剧下降的分类学，进化和保护意义。发现大陆人群的线粒体序列多样性与东非其他真瞪羚的线粒体序列多样性相当。我们在研究区域内长期武装冲突的背景下对此进行讨论。相比之下，人们发现红海达拉克群岛200多个岛屿和小岛之一的达拉克凯比尔河上的瞪羚在遗传上是绝种的。核苷酸和单倍型多样性估计分别是大陆人口的六分之一和三分之一。使用田岛D统计量的估算值，我们推测，最近的瓶颈之后，达拉克族群经历了扩张。线粒体控制区序列的最小跨度谱系网络在来自大陆的瞪羚定居达拉克克比尔的路线和时间上产生了可检验的假设。我们的线粒体DNA数据集解决了岛瞪羚的分类学歧义。从进化和保护的角度讨论了它们的遗传独特性，以及它们与先前研究中所强调的岛屿规则的显着一致性。我们的线粒体DNA数据集解决了岛瞪羚的分类学歧义。从进化和保护的角度讨论了它们的遗传独特性，以及它们与先前研究中所强调的岛屿规则的显着一致性。我们的线粒体DNA数据集解决了岛瞪羚的分类学歧义。从进化和保护的角度讨论了它们的遗传独特性，以及它们与先前研究中所强调的岛屿规则的显着一致性。