Genotyping of Capreolus pygargus fossil DNA from Denisova cave reveals phylogenetic relationships between ancient and modern populations.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The extant roe deer (Capreolus Gray, 1821) includes two species: the European roe deer (C. capreolus) and the Siberian roe deer (C. pygargus) that are distinguished by morphological and karyotypical differences. The Siberian roe deer occupies a vast area of Asia and is considerably less studied than the European roe deer. Modern systematics of the Siberian roe deer remain controversial with 4 morphological subspecies. Roe deer fossilized bones are quite abundant in Denisova cave (Altai Mountains, South Siberia), where dozens of both extant and extinct mammalian species from modern Holocene to Middle Pleistocene have been retrieved.

Methodology/principal findings

We analyzed a 629 bp fragment of the mitochondrial control region from ancient bones of 10 Holocene and

SUBMITTER: Vorobieva NV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3163676 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature