Vol. 15 No. 1 (2020)
Articles

Genetic characteristics of an introduced population of Bombina bombina (Linnaeus, 1761) (Amphibia: Bombinatoridae) in Moselle, France

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  • Jean-Pierre Vacher,
  • Damien Aumaitre,
  • Sylvain Ursenbacher
Jean-Pierre Vacher
Association BUFO, Musée d’Histoire naturelle et d’Ethnographie, 11 rue de Turenne, F-68000 Colmar, France
Damien Aumaitre
Conservatoire d’espaces naturels de Lorraine, 3 rue Robert Schuman, 57400 Sarrebourg, France
Sylvain Ursenbacher
Section of Conservation Biology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Vorstadt 10, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13128/a_h-7648

Published 2020-05-17

Keywords

  • Invasive species,
  • population genetics,
  • conservation,
  • Cytochrome b,
  • microsatellites

How to Cite

Vacher, J.-P., Aumaitre, D., & Ursenbacher, S. (2020). Genetic characteristics of an introduced population of Bombina bombina (Linnaeus, 1761) (Amphibia: Bombinatoridae) in Moselle, France. Acta Herpetologica, 15(1), 47–54. https://doi.org/10.13128/a_h-7648
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Abstract

The fire-bellied toad Bombina bombina has recently been introduced in Moselle, north-eastern France, in an area where the yellow-bellied toad Bombina variegata occurs naturally. Both species hybridize in a wide area throughout Europe where their distribution overlaps. Therefore, there is a risk of introgression regarding the Bombina variegata population in north-eastern France. In order to assess the status of the introduced population of Bombina bombina and its origin, we investigated its genetic characteristics and structure using both mitochondrial (cytochrome b) and nuclear DNA (microsatellites markers). The results demonstrated a lack of introgression in the Bombina variegata population. Though experiencing a bottleneck effect, the introduced Bombina bombina population displays a high genetic diversity. If a propensity for expansion is found within the introduced population of Bombina bombina, it could be considered as a potential invasive species in France, and thus threaten the native species.

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