Dear MARMAM Colleagues, We are pleased to announce the recent publication of the following paper in *Plos One*:
Ywasaki Lima J, Machado FB, Farro APC, Barbosa LdA, da Silveira LS, Medina-Acosta E (2017) Population genetic structure of Guiana dolphin (*Sotalia guianensis*) from the southwestern Atlantic coast of Brazil. PLoS ONE 12(8): e0183645. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0183645 Abstract: *Sotalia guianensis* is a small dolphin that is vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts. Along the Brazilian Atlantic coast, this species is threatened with extinction. A prioritized action plan for conservation strategies relies on increased knowledge of the population. The scarcity of studies about genetic diversity and assessments of population structure for this animal have precluded effective action in the region. Here, we assessed, for the first time, the genetic differentiation at 14 microsatellite loci in 90 *S. **guianensis* specimens stranded on the southeastern Atlantic coast of the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil. We estimated population parameters and structure, measured the significance of global gametic disequilibrium and the intensity of non-random multiallelic interallelic associations and constructed a provisional synteny map using Bos taurus, the closest terrestrial mammal with a reference genome available. All microsatellite loci were polymorphic, with at least three and a maximum of ten alleles each. Allele frequencies ranged from 0.01 to 0.97. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.061 to 0.701. The mean inbreeding coefficient was 0.103. Three loci were in HardyWeinberg disequilibrium even when missing genotypes were inferred. Although 77 of the 91 possible two-locus associations were in global gametic equilibrium, we unveiled 13 statistically significant, sign-based, non-random multiallelic interallelic associations in 10 two-locus combinations with either coupling (D’ values ranging from 0.782 to 0.353) or repulsion (D’ values -0.517 to -1.000) forces. Most of the interallelic associations did not involve the major alleles. Thus, for either physically or non-physically linked loci, measuring the intensity of non-random interallelic associations is important for defining the evolutionary forces at equilibrium. We uncovered a small degree of genetic differentiation (FST = 0.010; P-value = 0.463) with a hierarchical clustering into one segment containing members from the southern and northern coastal regions. The data thus support the scenario of little genetic structure in the population of *S. **guianensis* in this geographic area. This article is freely available online at: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0183645 For any questions, please feel free to contact me: ju.ywas...@gmail.com Best regards, Juliana Ywasaki Lima -- Juliana Ywasaki Lima - Lic, M.Sc., D.Sc. Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro - UENF Laboratório de Morfologia e Patologia Animal Núcleo de Pesquisa com Animais Selvagens - NEPAS Campos dos Goytacazes-RJ CEP: 28013-600/ 2000 - Brasil
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