What genetic finding confirms the dual domestication centers hypothesis for *B. bubalis*?
Phylogenetic analyses show River buffalo from India cluster separately from Swamp buffalo from China or Thailand.
Molecular biology provides robust evidence confirming the theory of two separate domestication cradles. Phylogenetic analyses reveal distinct genetic clusters corresponding precisely to the ecological types: River buffalo populations originating in the Indian subcontinent cluster separately from the Swamp buffalo populations found in regions like China or Thailand. This clear genetic separation is further supported by observing that genes influencing specialized functions, such as milk protein production and metabolism, are under different selective pressures in each type, serving as a direct genetic signature of their independent post-domestication evolution driven by distinct agricultural needs.
