Origins and population genetics of sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) introduced to Australia and New Zealand

Context Some populations of introduced species cause significant undesirable impacts but can also act as reservoirs for genetic diversity. Sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) are ‘Vulnerable’ in their native range and invasive Australia New Zealand. Genetic data be used to determine whether these might serve declining identify spatial units management.Aims We aimed the provenance sambar Zealand, characterise diversity population structure.Methods mitochondrial control region sequences 18 nuclear microsatellite loci 24 Zealand 63 Australian collected across continuous habitat each location. estimated differentiation by using pairwise FST, AMOVA, Structure analyses. compared our with 27 previously published phylogenetic relationships.Key results genetically more similar those west (South Central Highlands India, Sri Lanka), than east (eastern throughout Southeast Asia). Nuclear was lower range; only one haplotype found population. were distinct there no structure within either population.Conclusions The differences we identified between two at putatively neutral indicate that may underlying functional loci. lack suggests individuals do not experience barriers dispersal areas sampled.Implications Although is reduced range, harbour unique variants could strengthen under threat range. apparent high levels gene flow sampled suggest localised unlikely effective