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Genetic structure of lions ( Panthera leo L.) in the Selous Game Reserve: implications for the evolution of sociality
Author(s) -
Spong G.,
Stone J.,
Creel S.,
Björklund M.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of evolutionary biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.289
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1420-9101
pISSN - 1010-061X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1420-9101.2002.00473.x
Subject(s) - biology , panthera , inbreeding avoidance , sociality , population , inbreeding , mating , zoology , ecology , demography , predation , mate choice , sociology
We use 14 microsatellites to examine the genetic structure of a lion ( Panthera leo L.) population in southern Tanzania. Heterozygosity levels were high (0.75 ± 0.08). Relatedness estimates showed that prides often had close relatives in neighbouring prides, whereas few relatives were found in prides not sharing a border. The drop‐off in relatedness with distance was highly significant. Female pridemates exhibited a higher mean relatedness (0.26 ± 0.07) to one another than did pride males (0.11 ± 0.07). Mean relatedness among females was significantly higher in small prides than in large ones. Prides exhibited significant inbreeding avoidance ( F IL : −0.11). Mating did not detectably differ from random across prides ( F IT : −0.02 ns). In addition to being recognizable behavioural and demographic units, prides were statistically distinct genetic units ( F LT : 0.07). Some neighbouring prides grouped together both geographically and genetically, forming ‘superprides’ in the population ( F ZT = 0.05). Thus, although individual prides were genetically distinct, there was an important genetic structure above the level of social groups.