Hidden Diversity in the Sands: Genomic Footprints of Pleistocene Refugia and Fragile Futures of the Turkestan Ground-Jay (Podoces panderi) in Central Asia
Dekhkonov S.I. Gulomova D.I. Fundukchiyev S.E. Chen L. Hao Y. Wang S. Song G. Kholmatov B.R. Jashenko R.V. Lei F.
2026John Wiley and Sons Inc
Integrative Zoology
2026
The Turkestan ground-jay (Podoces panderi), a corvid endemic to Central Asias deserts and steppes, exemplifies how extreme environments drive speciation. Our study provides the first comprehensive high-resolution genomic analysis of this species, using complete mitochondrial genomes (49 individuals) to decode its population structure and demographic past. Our analyses revealed three highly divergent genetic clusters with strong geographic structure. The P. p. iliensis population (Cluster_3) showed particularly pronounced genetic distinctiveness, with significant differentiation from P. p. panderi (Cluster_2 and Cluster_1) populations. This clear genetic separation supports the taxonomic validity of P. p. iliensis as a distinct evolutionary lineage. Demographic reconstruction indicated that Cluster_2 likely represents the ancestral group, with subsequent southward expansion into the Karakum region. The isolated P. p. iliensis population exhibited signatures of long-term isolation, including reduced genetic diversity and absence of recent gene flow with other clusters. These results provide strong evidence that P. p. iliensis represents a distinct evolutionary unit. The genetic structuring into three clusters reflects historical isolation in desert refugia during Pleistocene climatic fluctuations. Notably, we detected asymmetric gene flow among three clusters. These findings redefine P. panderi as a model for desert adaptation, where climatic extremes forged genetic fragmentation amid limited dispersal. Beyond taxonomy, our work highlights how aridification sculpted biodiversity in Asias interior, urging conservation attention for these evolutionarily distinct lineages.
Bayesian skyline plot , conservation genetics , desert adaptation , evolutionary significant unit , mitochondrial genome , phylogeography , Pleistocene refugia
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State Key Laboratory of Animal Biodiversity Conservation and Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Institute of Zoology, Academy of Science of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Faculty of Biology, Samarkand State University, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Institute of Zoology of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty, Kazakhstan
State Key Laboratory of Animal Biodiversity Conservation and Integrated Pest Management
College of Life Sciences
Institute of Zoology
Faculty of Biology
Institute of Zoology of the Republic of Kazakhstan
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