Introgression of mountain hare (Lepus timidus) mitochondrial DNA into wild brown hares (Lepus europaeus) in Denmark.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In Europe the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) exists in Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Finland, parts of the Alps and in Eastern Europe, but not in Denmark. Interspecific hybridization has been demonstrated between native Swedish mountain hares and introduced brown hares (Lepus europaeus). During the data collection in a study concerning Danish brown hares we identified 16 hares with a single very divergent haplotype.

Results

Phylogenetic analysis shows that the divergent Danish haplotype is most closely related to the Swedish mountain hare. The frequency of Lepus timidus mtDNA haplotype in the Eastern Danish hare populations is estimated to 6%.

Conclusion

In contrast to what is known, the Danish hare populations are not pure L. europaeus populations but incl

SUBMITTER: Fredsted T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1654140 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature