Hybridization between wild animals and feral individuals from closely related domestic species can occur when they share the same habitat.Such events are generally regarded as a threat to the genetic integrity and sur...Hybridization between wild animals and feral individuals from closely related domestic species can occur when they share the same habitat.Such events are generally regarded as a threat to the genetic integrity and survival of established wild populations.The aim of this study is to confrm a hybridization between European moufon and feral sheep on the Adriatic island Dugi Otok,where a group of individuals phenotypically indicative of a possible introgression was photographed.Using an ovine medium-density SNP array genotypes,we provided genetic evidence of recent gene admixture between the two species.The ADMIXTURE analysis suggests that two hybrid individuals had 82.2%and 94.1%of their ancestry attributable to feral sheep,respectively,with the rest of the moufon in origin.NEWHYBRIDS analysis estimated the combined probabilities for the putative hybrid individuals belonging to one of the hybrid classes at 87.0%and 90.1%,respectively.The main phenotypic differences in the hybrids were observed in the shape of the horns,a stronger horn circumference than in the moufon and weaker than for the sheep,pronounced horn rings,a shorter tail,and intermediate color.We therefore recommend constant monitoring of the purity of the moufon population to maintain its genetic integrity.In addition,all feral sheep should be removed from the wild,and released sheep raised in semi-wild conditions should be better controlled.展开更多
基金This study was supported by the Slovenian Research Agency(programme group P1-0386),RESBIOS European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program(No.872146)and the Croatian Science Foundation,project IP-2019-04-4096,“The role of hunting related activities in the range expansion of recently established wild ungulate populations in the Mediterranean."。
文摘Hybridization between wild animals and feral individuals from closely related domestic species can occur when they share the same habitat.Such events are generally regarded as a threat to the genetic integrity and survival of established wild populations.The aim of this study is to confrm a hybridization between European moufon and feral sheep on the Adriatic island Dugi Otok,where a group of individuals phenotypically indicative of a possible introgression was photographed.Using an ovine medium-density SNP array genotypes,we provided genetic evidence of recent gene admixture between the two species.The ADMIXTURE analysis suggests that two hybrid individuals had 82.2%and 94.1%of their ancestry attributable to feral sheep,respectively,with the rest of the moufon in origin.NEWHYBRIDS analysis estimated the combined probabilities for the putative hybrid individuals belonging to one of the hybrid classes at 87.0%and 90.1%,respectively.The main phenotypic differences in the hybrids were observed in the shape of the horns,a stronger horn circumference than in the moufon and weaker than for the sheep,pronounced horn rings,a shorter tail,and intermediate color.We therefore recommend constant monitoring of the purity of the moufon population to maintain its genetic integrity.In addition,all feral sheep should be removed from the wild,and released sheep raised in semi-wild conditions should be better controlled.
