Rapid evolution of the quagga

How a zebra lost its stripes: Rapid evolution of the quagga

New Haven, Conn. -DNA from museum samples of extinct animals is providing unexpected information on the extent and effect of the Ice Age as well as the path of species evolution,

according to a report by scientists from Yale University, the Smithsonian Institute and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

The quagga, Equus quagga, a South African relative of horses and zebras, having a front half with zebra-like stripes and a back section like a horse with no marking, became extinct about 100 years ago. The pelt from a quagga museum specimen was the subject of tissue sampling that launched the field of ancient DNA analysis.

"Twenty years ago this exact species opened the field of ancient DNA studies on extinct animals," said one of the authors, Gisella Caccone, senior research scientist in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale. "Now, thanks to technological advances in the field, we revisited the story and used a population level approach to this question by analyzing a larger fragment of DNA and multiple specimens."

In the past, the quagga has alternatively been described as a species and a subspecies of the Plains zebra.These researchers asked how and when the quagga diverged from all the remaining related horses, zebras, and asses. They compared the genetics, coat color and habitats of existing zebras with related extinct species.

The mitochondrial DNA markers from 13 museum specimens, including the only skeleton in museum collections, which is at Yale's Peabody Museum of Natural History, showed that quagga likely diverged from Plains zebra about 120,000 to 290,000 years ago during the Ice Age. These results suggest that the quagga descended from a population of plains zebras that became isolated and the distinct quagga body type and coloring evolved rapidly.

This study reveals that the Ice Age was important not just in Europe and North America, but also in Africa.

"The rapid evolution of coat color in the quagga could be explained by disrupted gene flow because of geographical isolation, an adaptive response to a drier habitat, or a combination of both of the two forces," said Caccone. ###

The research team also included Scott Glaberman at Yale, Jennifer A. Leonard and Robert C. Fleischer from the Smithsonian Institute, Michael Hofreiter and Nadin Rohland from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

Citation: Biology Letters (Royal Society of London): (September 22, 2005)

Contact: Janet Rettig Emanuel janet.emannuel@yale.edu 203-432-2157 Yale University

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Secretary Rice Condemns Bombings in Bali

Secretary Rice Condemns Bombings in Bali, Indonesia, At least 22 killed after explosions on resort island, 01 October 2005

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on October 1 condemned the terrorist bombings that day in Bali, Indonesia.

According to press reports, at least 22 people were killed and about 50 others wounded when at least two bombs went off in tourist areas of the resort island.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured. The United States stands with the people and government of Indonesia as they work to bring to justice those responsible for these acts terrorism,” Rice said.

Following is the text of Rice’s statement:

(begin text), Secretary Condoleezza Rice, Washington, DC, October 1, 2005

The United States condemns the terrorist bombings today in Bali that claimed innocent lives and injured many more. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured.

The United States stands with the people and government of Indonesia as they work to bring to justice those responsible for these acts of terrorism. We will continue to work together in our common fight against terror.

2005/910, (end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: usinfo.state.gov)

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