Baboons at a Crossroads: Hybridisation Events and Genomic Links of Central Mozambique's Baboons With Papio Neighbors

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OBJECTIVES: Hybridisation plays a critical role in species evolution and is widespread among primates, particularly in the genus Papio. Several baboon hybridisation zones have been identified in Africa, with Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique being notable for chacma baboons exhibiting phenotypic and genomic traits of both chacma and yellow baboons. This study builds on earlier research by leveraging new genomic data to refine our understanding of the relationships between Central Mozambique baboons and other baboon populations, focusing on chacma, yellow, and kinda baboons. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed uniparental genetic markers alongside autosomal and X chromosome variants, incorporating unpublished low-coverage genomes from fecal samples collected in Central Mozambique. These data were compared with the broader genomic landscape of Papio baboons based on recent surveys. RESULTS: The analysis of uniparental markers suggests a time to the most recent common ancestor of less than 200kya for chacma baboons in Zambia and Gorongosa, with both lineages sharing a node with yellow baboons from Tanzania less than 1 Mya. Genomic analyses indicate introgression in Central Mozambique and Zambia chacmas likely originated from populations closer to eastern rather than western Tanzanian yellow baboons. DISCUSSION: Our findings reveal yellow baboon introgression in Central Mozambique chacmas, confirming this being a region hosting baboons with complex ancestry composition. Broader genomic surveys across Mozambique are necessary to uncover the population structure and evolutionary history of chacmas in this area, as well as the role of this region as a biodiversity crossroads for primates.

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