A voyage to Terra Australis: human-mediated dispersal of cats.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cats have been transported as human commensals worldwide giving rise to many feral populations. In Australia, feral cats have caused decline and extinction of native mammals, but their time of introduction and origin is unclear. Here, we investigate hypotheses of cat arrival pre- or post-European settlement, and the potential for admixture between cats of different invasion events. We analyse the genetic structure and diversity of feral cats from six locations on mainland Australia, seven Australian islands and samples from Southeast Asia and Europe using microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA data.

Results

Our results based on phylogeographic model selection are consistent with a European origin of cats in Australia. We find genetic distinctiveness of Australian ma

SUBMITTER: Koch K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4669658 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature