Complete mitogenomes reveal limited genetic variability in the garden dormouse Eliomys quercinus of the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

Complete mitogenomes reveal limited genetic variability in the garden dormouse Eliomys quercinus of the Iberian Peninsula.The garden dormouse Eliomys quercinus is a poorly known Western Palearctic species experiencing a global decline.Even though the availability of genetic information is key to assess the drivers underlying demographic changes in wild populations and plan adequate management, data on E.quercinus are still scant.In this study, we reconstructed the complete mitogenomes of four E.quercinus individuals from southern Spain using in–solution enriched libraries, and found evidence of limited genetic variability.We then compared their cytochrome b sequences to those of conspecifics from other countries and supported the divergent but genetically depauperate position of this evolutionarily significant unit (ESU).The information produced will assist future conservation studies on this little–studied rodent.