Genetic Structure and the Potential for Hybridization in Populations of Peromyscus Spp. of Plateau Regions in Western Oklahoma

Abstract

The biological species concept defines separate species as those being unable to interbreed or produce viable, fertile offspring in sympatric areas. Morphological or genetic differences also have been used to recognize species in both sympatric and non-sympatric distributions. In many instances, hybridization between closely related species occurs in sympatric areas. This phenomenon is common in the genus Peromyscus. The white-footed deermouse (Peromyscus leucopus) and the North American deermouse (P. maniculatus) are sympatric across much of central and eastern North America. Both are considered habitat generalists, but do exhibit distinct preferences as P. leucopus predominately occurs in woody or brushy areas and P. maniculatus is found predominately in grassy areas. In the plateaus of Four Canyons Preserve in western Oklahoma, specimens could not be identified as either P. leucopus or P. maniculatus using morphological characteristics, and it has been hypothesized that these individuals represent hybrid samples. In order to investigate the genetic structure of this population and determine if hybridization between these species is occurring, I am utilizing microsatellite data and a species identification marker to compare to specimens from allopatric regions to samples in Four Canyons Preserve.