Genetic depletion in Swiss populations of Rana latastei: conservation implications.

Abstract

Rana latastei, the Italian Agile Frog, is found over a restricted range in Central Europe, with populations in Switzerland (Tessin) occurring at the very margin of the species distribution. We used microsatellite DNA polymorphisms to study the genetic diversity of Swiss populations of Rana latastei and compared them with several Italian populations located in the central and western parts of the species’ range. On average, Swiss populations showed a much lower level of within-population genetic diversity relative to their Italian counterparts. Existing Swiss conservation efforts do not include genetic considerations and our results show that any attempt to increase genetic diversity within Switzerland would require a collaborative effort with Italian wildlife agencies.