Geographic variation in caribou on the Canadian arctic islands
Analyses of body, leg bone, skull, and pelage data indicated a cline in the characters of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) from central Boothia Peninsula to the western Queen Elizabeth Islands. The main difference between the skulls of barren-ground caribou (R. t. groenlandicus) on central Boothia Penins...
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1982
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z82-312 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z82-312 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z82-312 2024-04-28T08:10:51+00:00 Geographic variation in caribou on the Canadian arctic islands Thomas, D. C. Everson, P. 1982 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z82-312 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z82-312 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 60, issue 10, page 2442-2454 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 1982 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z82-312 2024-04-02T06:55:53Z Analyses of body, leg bone, skull, and pelage data indicated a cline in the characters of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) from central Boothia Peninsula to the western Queen Elizabeth Islands. The main difference between the skulls of barren-ground caribou (R. t. groenlandicus) on central Boothia Peninsula and the more northerly Peary caribou (R. t. pearyi) was a shorter muzzle in the latter. Pelage tone was markedly lighter in Peary caribou and they were smaller in most body measurements, most notably in the length of long bones. Two major populations of Peary caribou were identified: one on the western Queen Elizabeth Islands (Parry Islands), the other on Somerset and Prince of Wales islands. Differences in skull size and form suggest that each population was composed of two or more subpopulations. The larger and darker R. t. groenlandicus occurred on north-central Boothia Peninsula and the two subspecies and apparent intergrades were present in winter on northern regions of the peninsula. The morphological similarity of Peary caribou on Somerset and Prince of Wales islands is explained by interisland movements resulting in genetic mixing. The same is true for caribou on the western Queen Elizabeth Islands and that population apparently has little genetic interchange with the other. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Boothia Peninsula caribou Queen Elizabeth Islands Rangifer tarandus Canadian Science Publishing Canadian Journal of Zoology 60 10 2442 2454 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Thomas, D. C. Everson, P. Geographic variation in caribou on the Canadian arctic islands |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
Analyses of body, leg bone, skull, and pelage data indicated a cline in the characters of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) from central Boothia Peninsula to the western Queen Elizabeth Islands. The main difference between the skulls of barren-ground caribou (R. t. groenlandicus) on central Boothia Peninsula and the more northerly Peary caribou (R. t. pearyi) was a shorter muzzle in the latter. Pelage tone was markedly lighter in Peary caribou and they were smaller in most body measurements, most notably in the length of long bones. Two major populations of Peary caribou were identified: one on the western Queen Elizabeth Islands (Parry Islands), the other on Somerset and Prince of Wales islands. Differences in skull size and form suggest that each population was composed of two or more subpopulations. The larger and darker R. t. groenlandicus occurred on north-central Boothia Peninsula and the two subspecies and apparent intergrades were present in winter on northern regions of the peninsula. The morphological similarity of Peary caribou on Somerset and Prince of Wales islands is explained by interisland movements resulting in genetic mixing. The same is true for caribou on the western Queen Elizabeth Islands and that population apparently has little genetic interchange with the other. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Thomas, D. C. Everson, P. |
author_facet |
Thomas, D. C. Everson, P. |
author_sort |
Thomas, D. C. |
title |
Geographic variation in caribou on the Canadian arctic islands |
title_short |
Geographic variation in caribou on the Canadian arctic islands |
title_full |
Geographic variation in caribou on the Canadian arctic islands |
title_fullStr |
Geographic variation in caribou on the Canadian arctic islands |
title_full_unstemmed |
Geographic variation in caribou on the Canadian arctic islands |
title_sort |
geographic variation in caribou on the canadian arctic islands |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1982 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z82-312 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z82-312 |
genre |
Arctic Boothia Peninsula caribou Queen Elizabeth Islands Rangifer tarandus |
genre_facet |
Arctic Boothia Peninsula caribou Queen Elizabeth Islands Rangifer tarandus |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 60, issue 10, page 2442-2454 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z82-312 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
60 |
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10 |
container_start_page |
2442 |
op_container_end_page |
2454 |
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1797578535287652352 |