Phylogenetic status of North American wapiti (Cervus elaphus) subspecies

By the turn of the century, North American elk, or wapiti (Cervus elaphus), had been extirpated, from all regions of the continent and two subspecies were extinct. The recovery of wapiti is largely a response to the large num ber of relocated Rocky Mountain (C, e. nelsoni) and Manitoban wapiti (C. e. manitobensis). A phylogenetic study was performed to determine the present genetic relationships among tule (C. e. nannodes), Roosevelt (C. e. roosev elti), Rocky Mountain, and Manitoban subspecies, using sequences from the D -loop region of the mitochondrial DNA of 28 individuals. All Roosevelt wapi ti were grouped together, as were tule wapiti, which supports the classific ation of rule and Roosevelt subspecies. Yellowstone, Elk Island, and Riding Mountain National Parks have not introduced wapiti into their indigenous p opulations. When these populations were used, Manitoban wapiti were found t o be monophyletic and Rocky Mountain wapiti to be paraphyletic. However, in cluding animals from the Canadian Rocky Mountains places Rocky Mountain wap iti in clades by themselves or grouped with Manitoban wapiti. The clade con taining a mixture of Manitoban and Rocky Mountain wapiti suggests that both types recently descended from a common ancestor. Hybridization or insuffic ient time for separation may explain the presence of the two types in the s ame clade.