水獺

金門水獺的遺傳密碼：揭示與台灣滅絕族群的遺傳關聯

Nian-Hong Jang-Liaw (張廖年鴻), Yu-Chun Tan (譚羽君), Chia-Jui Chang (張家睿), Chung-Hao Juan (阮仲豪), Hsuan-Yi Hou (侯宣伊), Li-Wai Chung (鍾立偉), Huan-Song Cao (曹桓菘), Daisuke Waku (和久大介), Shih-Wei Chang (張仕緯) & Ling-Ling Lee (李玲玲)

本研究對中國大陸東南沿海金門島上的野生歐亞水獺（Lutra lutra）進行遺傳變異分析，透過40隻個體的高品質DNA樣本，探討其遺傳多樣性與族群結構。研究中對粒線體DNA中的ND5、CYTb與控制區域進行定序，結果顯示這些野外樣本間的核苷酸多樣性為零。然而相較之下，對多達12個體染色體微衛星基因座的基因分型，並未發現偏離哈溫平衡（Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium），亦無近交衰退的跡象（FIS = 0.010）。

透過粒線體DNA序列的親緣演化分析，並結合來自臺灣的一筆個體樣本、中國福建北部的四筆排遺樣本（本研究採集），以及11筆既有的公開序列，顯示金門水獺族群在遺傳上與臺灣已滅絕的水獺族群最為接近，並與中國南部的族群構成一個單系群（monophyletic group）。本研究成果可作為金門及周邊地區未來推動歐亞水獺保育計畫之重要參考。

原文：

Here we present an analysis of the genetic diversity and structure of wild Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) on Kinmen Island, off the coast of eastern-southern China, as derived from high-quality DNA samples from 40 individuals. Mitochondrial DNA was sequenced at the ND5, CYTb and control regions, revealing zero nucleotide diversity within our wild-sampled individuals. In contrast, genotyping at up to 12 autosomal microsatellite loci determined no deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and no indication of inbreeding depression (FIS = 0.010).

Based on phylogenetic analyses of the mtDNA sequences, alongside those from one individual from Taiwan, four spraint samples from northern Fujian, China (this study), and 11 published sequences, the Kinmen otter population is most genetically similar to a now-extinct population in Taiwan, and forms a monophyletic group with southern Chinese populations. These results may guide a framework for implementing Eurasian otter conservation programs in and around the Kinmen region.