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Identification of evolutionary significant units in the Spanish wild goat, Capra pyrenaica (Mammalia, Artiodactyla)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 1999

Valérie Manceau
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Biologie des Populations d'Altitude, CNRS UMR 5553, Université Joseph Fourier, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
Jean-Paul Crampe
Affiliation:
Parc National des Pyrenées, 59, route de Pau, 65000 Tarbes, France
Pierre Boursot
Affiliation:
Laboratoire Génome et Populations, CNRS UPR 9060, Université de Montpellier II, Place Eugène Bataillon, C.C.63, F-34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
Pierre Taberlet
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Biologie des Populations d'Altitude, CNRS UMR 5553, Université Joseph Fourier, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
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Abstract

The Pyrenean population of Spanish wild goat (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica) is nearly extinct. To find the most appropriate source of individuals for supplementing the Pyrenean population, we identified Evolutionary Significant Units (ESUs) among populations of the Capra pyrenaica species. We have examined sequence variability of portions of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region and cytochrome b (cyt b) gene. Samples were from seven populations of Spanish wild goat distributed over the species' geographic range. The level of divergence between the Pyrenean and other Spanish haplotypes is almost as high as the divergence between the Alpine (C. ibex ibex) and the Spanish wild goats. In addition, the Pyrenean goat is morphologically distinct from other Spanish wild goats. Therefore the Pyrenean population should be considered as an ESU. For the reinforcement, we suggest either using individuals from the most polymorphic Spanish population, or mixing individuals from diverse Spanish origins, since all the other Spanish populations are equally genetically distant from the Pyrenean population.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1999 The Zoological Society of London

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