MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA AND ALLOZYME ANALYSIS OF NORTH-AMERICAN PRONGHORN POPULATIONS

To help preserve and manage pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), it is i mportant to characterize genetic variation of pronghorn populations. W e assessed allozyme variation in 330 pronghorn from 29 populations. Tw enty of 33 presumptive genetic loci were polymorphic. Clustering value s obtained from Rogers' distance, using unweighted pair-group method a nalysis, indicated close affinities between Oregon (A. a. oregona) and American pronghorn (A. a. americana) subspecies. Population from sout hwestern Texas and southern New Mexico clustered in several groups out side the Oregon-American pronghorn cluster. This pattern was consisten t with recognition of Mexican pronghorn (A. a. mexicana) as a distinct subspecies. We used restriction-fragment analysis to measure mitochon drial DNA (mtDNA) variation in 110 individuals representing most of th e pronghorn range. We found 9 mitochondrial haplotypes in the NADH deh ydrogenase (ND-2) gene region. Seven were rare in most populations. Co nsequently, pronghorn showed a reduced amount of mtDNA variation withi n most populations relative to other mammalian species. An exception o ccurred in pronghorn from Yellowstone National Park, which possessed 4 haplotypes, 1 of which occurred nowhere else. Mexican pronghorn were discernable from other subspecies by 1 restriction site that was commo n in some western Texas populations. Oregon pronghorn was not discerni ble from American subspecies.