Evolution of the Dawson caribou ( Rangifer tarandus dawsoni )

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Byun, S A, Koop, B F, Reimchen, T E
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 2002
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; caribou; Rangifer tarandus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z02-062; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z02-062

The Dawson caribou (Rangifer tarandus dawsoni) was a rare subspecies of caribou that inhabited Haida Gwaii, an archipelago located 80 km off the west coast of Canada. It became extinct during the early part of the 20th century and to this day all that remains of Dawson caribou are several pelts, skulls, and antlers. With the exception of a physical description based on these remains, not much is known about the taxonomy of this subspecies of caribou. Using molecular and ancient-DNA techniques, we sequenced 215 base pairs of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b and compared these sequences with those from conspecifics Rangifer tarandus caribou (woodland caribou) and Rangifer tarandus granti (barren-ground caribou). These analyses suggest that the Dawson caribou was not genetically distinct. The unique morphology characterizing this extinct form of caribou may have been of recent origin, either from local selection pressures or from environmentally induced phenotypic plasticity.