How reliable are morphological and anatomical characters to distinguish European wildcats, domestic cats and their hybrids in France?

摘要: Phenotypic variation in hybridizing species or subspecies is a prerequisite for allowing conservation ecologists and wildlife managers to identify parental populations their hybrids the field. We assessed reliability of set eight morphological (body size pelage characters) four anatomical criteria (skull intestine morphometric measurements) distinguish between 302 French specimens classified as wildcat, domestic cat hybrid on basis Bayesian analysis (STRUCTURE) multilocus microsatellite genotypes. This aim was achieved by performing multivariate analyses morphological, genetic data sets (Hill Smith's analysis, co-inertia discriminant principal components). Wildcats cats were very satisfactorily distinguished, even when using simple non-invasive easily usable field like morphology tail, dorsal line flank stripes. Using instead characters slightly increased discriminating power. Many more difficulties arose we tried from both wildcat ones. Anatomical performed better than ones recognizing hybrids, but assignment success rate remained low, about 31.6% 1.5%, respectively. Overall, most two continuous, derived characters: cranial index followed intestinal index. Classification three classes based genotypes appeared be inadequate identifying specimens, seemed distributed along an continuum. With this observation mind, linear relationships proxy individual level hybridization (qik) indices, Both highly significant. The greatest correlation found with (R² = 60.4%). Altogether, our results suggest that future work should geared towards enhancing measure molecular markers improving skull measurements through use modern geometric methods, landmarks rather dimension.