Assessing the prevalence of hybridization between sympatric Canis species surrounding the red wolf (Canis rufus) recovery area in North Carolina

摘要: Predicting spatial patterns of hybridization is important for evolutionary and conservation biology yet are hampered by poor understanding how hybridizing species can interact. This especially pertinent in contact zones where populations sympatric. In this study, we examined the extent red wolf (Canis rufus) colonization introgression contacts a coyote (C. latrans) population North Carolina, USA. We surveyed 22,000km(2) winter 2008 scat identified individual canids through genetic analysis. Of 614 collected scats, 250 were assigned to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing. Canid samples genotyped at 6-17 microsatellite loci (nDNA) using three admixture criteria implemented two Bayesian clustering programs. 82 individuals but none as wolves. Two had mtDNA no significant nDNA ancestry. One possessed ancestry (approximately 30%) all criteria, although seven other showed evidence (11-21%) relaxed criterion. Overall, classified hybrids conservative 37 found dog familiaris) gray lupus) into population. compared performance different methods analyzing known wolves hybrids. These results suggest that Carolina minimal provide insights utility detect hybridization.