Asian Elephant Evolutionary Relationships: New Perspectives from Mitochondrial D-Loop Haplotype Diversity

Mitochondrial displacement loop (mt D-loop) sequence analyses have greatly improved assessments of genetic diversity, structure, and population dynamics endangered species threatened by climate change habitat loss. Tracking haplotypes these using mitochondrial-based markers has opened new avenues for conservation genomics biodiversity research. Recent studies used mt D-loop sequences to assess the diversity largest land mammal in Asia, Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), whose populations are rapidly declining. Here, we review haplotype data from sequencing highlight previous population-scale hypotheses pertaining origin diverse profiles elephants. Retrieving information can substantially improve estimations different parameters relevant their allow introgression/hybridization dissection variation shed light on ongoing evolutionary processes.