Genetic variability, management, and conservation implications of the critically endangered Brazilian pitviper Bothrops insularis

Information on demographic, genetic, and environmental parameters of wild and captive animal populations has proven to be crucial to conservation programs and strategies. Genetic approaches in conservation programs of Brazilian snakes remain scarce despite their importance for critically endangered species, such as Bothrops insularis, the golden lancehead, which is endemic to Ilha da Queimada Grande, coast of São Paulo State, Brazil. This study aims to (i) characterize the genetic diversity of ex-situ and in-situ populations of B. insularis using heterologous microsatellites; (ii) investigate genetic structure among and within these populations; and (iii) provide data for the conservation program of the species. Twelve informative microsatellites obtained from three species of the B. neuwiedi group were used to access genetic diversity indexes of ex-situ and in-situ populations. Low-to-medium genetic diversity parameters were found. Both populations showed low — albeit significant — values of system of mating inbreeding coefficient, whereas only the in-situ population showed a significant value of pedigree inbreeding coefficient. Significant values of genetic differentiation indexes suggest a small differentiation between the two populations. Discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) recovered five clusters. No geographic relationship was found in the island, suggesting the occurrence of gene flow. Also, our data allowed the establishment of six preferential breeding couples, aiming to minimize inbreeding and elucidate uncertain parental relationships in the captive population. In a conservation perspective, continuous monitoring of both populations is demanded: it involves the incorporation of new individuals from the island into the captive population to avoid inbreeding and to achieve the recommended allelic similarity between the two populations. At last, we recommend that the genetic data support researches as a base to maintain a viable and healthy captive population, highly genetically similar to the in-situ one, which is crucial for considering a reintroduction process into the island.Dataset description and information: (i) Geographic information of the samplings: Supplementary Material 1; (ii) List of the 33 microsatellites tested: Supplementary Material 2; (iii) R-script used in the analysis: Supplementary Material 3; (iv) Simplified scheme of the methodology: Supplementary Material 4; (v) Genotype data obtained from PCR amplification of the 12 loci for the 80 representative samples used herein: Supplementary Material 5; (vi) Table of the kinship value obtained for each pair of individuals that was alive (n = 34): Supplementary Material 6; (vii) Pedigree from the ex-situ population of B. insularis housed at the Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo state, Brazil: Supplementary Material 7. Funding provided by: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São PauloCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003593Award Number: 2012/07334-9Funding provided by: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e TecnológicoCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003593Award Number: 202686/2013-2Funding provided by: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São PauloCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003593Award Number: 2014/02558-2Funding provided by: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São PauloCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003593Award Number: 2017/04774-