Genetic relationship and distribution of the Japanese wild boar (Sus scrofa leucomystax) and Ryukyu wild boar (Sus scrofa riukiuanus) analysed by mitochondrial DNA

Mitochondrial genetic variations were used to investigate the relationships between two Japanese wild boars, Japanese wild boar (Sus scrofa leucomysta x) and Ryukyu wild boar (S.s. riukiuanus). Nucleotide sequences of the cont rol (27 haplotypes) and cytochrome b (cyt-b) regions (19 haplotypes) were d etermined from 59 Japanese wild boars, 13 Ryukyu wild boars and 22 other bo ars and pigs. From phylogenetic analyses, the mtDNA of Ryukyu wild boar has a distinct lineage from that of Japanese wild boar which was classified in to the Asian pig lineage. This result suggests that the Ryukyu wild boar ha s a separate origin from the Japanese wild boar.