Genetic Structure of Populations of the Mediterranean Mouflon (Ovis gmelini)

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Abstract
Genetic structure of a population of the Mediterranean mouflon (Ovis gmelini) in the Caroux-Espinouse Massif of southern France was investigated using six microsatellite loci. The population was subdivided into home-range groups of females that corresponded to sociospatial units. Males segregated from females outside rut, but they were faithful to the unit where they were born during rut. Both sexes were philopatric. A test for population differentiation and F-statistics was used to show that the sociospatial units corresponded to genetically differentiated units (FST = 0.043, P < 0.01). Pairwise comparisons between sociospatial units indicated that the amount of genetic differentiation coincided with their geographic distribution. Unexpectedly, no deficiencies in heterozygosity were found in the units. Lack of inbreeding is not well understood, but mechanisms of avoidance of incest and philopatry of the mouflon as a spatial attachment rather than a social attachment to relatives are discussed.

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