Intraspecific mitochondrial DNA variation in North American cervids

M. A. Cronin

doi:10.2307/1381867

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Intraspecific mitochondrial DNA variation in North American cervids

M. A. Cronin

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Abstract

Intraspecific variation in mitochondrial DNA of North American cervids was assessed with restriction enzymes to determine relationships among populations and subspecies. No variation was detected in moose ( Alces alces ) and little in elk ( Cervus elaphus ). Caribou ( Rangifer tarandus ), white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), and mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) possessed considerable variation. Characteristic genotypes exist in caribou and white-tailed deer from different geographic areas although subspecies are not discernable as distinct mtDNA assemblages. Except for O. hemionus , intraspecific mtDNA sequence divergences are small (<2%). Subspecies of mule deer have divergent mtDNA (7%) and are the only subspecies of cervids with distinct genotypes.

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M. A. Cronin. 1992. Intraspecific mitochondrial DNA variation in North American cervids. https://doi.org/10.2307/1381867

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