Premium
Ancient DNA reveals past existence of E urasian lynx in S pain
Author(s) -
RodríguezVarela R.,
García N.,
Nores C.,
ÁlvarezLao D.,
Barnett R.,
Arsuaga J. L.,
Valdiosera C.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/jzo.12289
Subject(s) - phylogeography , biology , mitochondrial dna , population , zoology , ecology , phylogenetics , demography , genetics , gene , sociology
Abstract The known distribution of the I berian lynx L ynx pardinus within the I berian P eninsula since the M iddle P leistocene and the lack of reliable records of E urasian lynx L ynx lynx in this region have led to the assumption that the I berian lynx was the sole inhabitant of I beria. In this study, we identified ancient mitochondrial DNA (a total of 337 base pairs from the control region and cytochrome b ) from eight northern I berian lynx remains as E urasian lynx. These results confirm the presence of E urasian lynx in northern I beria from the P leistocene/ H olocene boundary until just a few centuries ago. The paleontological record and our data indicate a population replacement of the I berian lynx by the E urasian lynx during the P leistocene/ H olocene transition in the C antabrian cornice of S pain. Phylogeographic patterns of L ate P leistocene and H olocene E urasian lynx from I beria, F rance, I taly and D enmark show that this felid had a more complex phylogeographic history in the past than modern day populations suggest.