Range-wide multilocus phylogeography of the red fox reveals ancient continental divergence, minimal genomic exchange and distinct demographic histories

摘要: Widely distributed taxa provide an opportunity to compare biogeographic responses climatic fluctuations on multiple continents and investigate speciation. We conducted the most geographically genomically comprehensive study date of red fox (Vulpes vulpes), world's widely wild terrestrial carnivore. Analyses 697 bp mitochondrial sequence in ~1000 individuals suggested ancient Middle Eastern origin for all extant foxes a 400 kya (SD = 139 kya) primary North American (Nearctic) clade. Demographic analyses indicated major expansion Eurasia during last glaciation (~50 kya), coinciding with previously described secondary transfer single matriline (Holarctic) America. In contrast, matrilines (including transferred portion Holarctic clade) exhibited no signatures until end Pleistocene (~12 kya). 11 autosomal loci from subset supported colonization time frame by mtDNA (and fossil record) but, reflected detectable transfer, resulting fundamental genomic division at Bering Strait. Endemic continental Y-chromosome clades further this pattern. Thus, intercontinental exchange was overall very limited, consistent long-term reproductive isolation since initial Based divergence times other carnivoran species pairs, our findings support model peripatric speciation are previous classification as distinct species, V. fulva.