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Mitogenomes of contemporary Spitsbergen stock bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus).

ABSTRACT: The Spitsbergen stock of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) is considered Critically Endangered by IUCN. Over recent decades, there have been only a few sightings, and very few biological samples are available for molecular analyses. Hence, genetic diversity of the extant Spitsbergen stock is unknown. Here, we present mitochondrial genomes from eight skin biopsy samples that were collected in 2006 and 2010. There were three different haplotypes, two of which have not previously been detected. Six samples shared the same haplotype, indicating that they were obtained from closely related whales, or possibly the same individual. Average nucleotide diversity was ??=?0.0037, with a total of 93 variable positions among the haplotypes.

SUBMITTER: Nyhus ES

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7799570 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Mitogenomes of contemporary Spitsbergen stock bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus).

Nyhus Erik Sanderud ES Lindqvist Charlotte C Kovacs Kit K Lydersen Christian C Wiig Øystein Ø Bachmann Lutz L

Mitochondrial DNA. Part B, Resources 20161122 1

The Spitsbergen stock of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) is considered Critically Endangered by IUCN. Over recent decades, there have been only a few sightings, and very few biological samples are available for molecular analyses. Hence, genetic diversity of the extant Spitsbergen stock is unknown. Here, we present mitochondrial genomes from eight skin biopsy samples that were collected in 2006 and 2010. There were three different haplotypes, two of which have not previously been dete ...[more]

PMID: 33473670

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