Mitochondrial DNA variation in Atlantic and Pacific walruses

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Cronin, Matthew A., Hills, Susan, Born, Erik W., Patton, John C.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1994
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Chukchi Sea; Greenland; Pacific; Chukchi; Odobenus rosmarus; walrus*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z94-140; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z94-140

We used restriction enzyme analysis of polymerase chain reaction amplified mitochondrial DNA to assess genetic differentiation of two subspecies of walruses: Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) from Greenland and Pacific walruses (O. r. divergens) from the Chukchi Sea. Each subspecies has distinct monophyletic mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. Mitochondrial DNA sequence divergence between Atlantic and Pacific subspecies was 1.0–1.6%. Several haplotypes were observed for each subspecies. Haplotype frequencies varied among sampling locations of Atlantic walruses, suggesting that mitochondrial DNA may be useful for walrus stock identification.