Comprehensive Identification and Description of Mitochondrial DNA Haplogroups and Sub-Haplogroups in Snow Sheep (Ovis nivicola) in Support of Their Evolutionary History and Conservation.
11 affiliations
- 1L. K. Ernst Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, 142132 Podolsk Urban Okrug, Russia.
- 2Institute of Biological Problems of the Cryolithozone, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 677007 Yakutsk, Russia.
- 3Joint Directorate of Taimyr Reserves, 663305 Norilsk, Russia.
- 4Chukotka Arctic Research Center, 689000 Anadyr, Russia.
- 5Rosokhotrybolovsoyuz Association, 125212 Moscow, Russia.
- 6A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia.
- 7School of Natural Sciences, University of Kent, Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, UK.
- 8Animal Genomics and Bioresource Research Unit (AGB Research Unit), Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
- 9Preimplantation Genetics Group, EGA Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London WC1E 6HX, UK.
- 10Population Genomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany.
- 11Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
Abstract
Mitochondrial DNA is a powerful marker for reconstructing maternal lineages and phylogeographic history in wild species. The snow sheep (Ovis nivicola), a mountain ungulate endemic to Siberia and the Russian Far East, is characterized by strong geographic fragmentation and a complex taxonomic structure. A formal mitochondrial haplogroup classification system for the species has, however, been lacking. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed 257 complete mitochondrial genomes representing all major populations across the species' range. Using phylogenetic reconstruction and diagnostic mutations (present in 100% of individuals within clades), we identified four major haplogroups (A-D) and multiple nested sub-haplogroups with clear geographic structuring. Divergence times were estimated using Bayesian analysis in BEAST 2.7.7 with a relaxed lognormal clock model, calibrated by the divergence between O. dalli and O. canadensis. The results showed that haplogroup A is almost exclusive to Kamchatka, haplogroup B is predominant in northern populations, haplogroup C is the most widespread and diverse across the species range, and haplogroup D is largely restricted to the Verkhoyansk region. The mitochondrial data largely support traditional subspecies taxonomy but reveal mitochondrial polyphyly in some subspecies, particularly O. n. lydekkeri and O. n. koriakorum. This study provides the first comprehensive mitochondrial haplogroup system for snow sheep and shows that the observed mitochondrial phylogeographic patterns are consistent with an important influence of Pleistocene glacial cycles and prolonged geographic isolation on its current genetic structure. These findings offer important insights for conservation management and for understanding the evolutionary history of wild sheep in Northeast Asia.
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BibTeX
@article{dotsev2026comprehensive,
title = {{Comprehensive Identification and Description of Mitochondrial DNA Haplogroups and Sub-Haplogroups in Snow Sheep (Ovis nivicola) in Support of Their Evolutionary History and Conservation.}},
author = {Arsen V Dotsev and Innokentiy M Okhlopkov and Olga A Koshkina and Mikhail G Bondar and Dennis I Litovka and Andrey A Sitsko and Taras P Sipko and Neckruz F Bakoev and Nikolai V Mamaev and Veronika R Kharzinova and Tatiana E Deniskova and Maria N Semerikova and Vugar A Bagirov and Michael N Romanov and Darren K Griffin and Ivica Medugorac and Gottfried Brem and Natalia A Zinovieva},
journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/ani16193018},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42882986},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Comprehensive Identification and Description of Mitochondrial DNA Haplogroups and Sub-Haplogroups in Snow Sheep (Ovis nivicola) in Support of Their Evolutionary History and Conservation.
AU - Arsen V Dotsev
AU - Innokentiy M Okhlopkov
AU - Olga A Koshkina
AU - Mikhail G Bondar
AU - Dennis I Litovka
AU - Andrey A Sitsko
AU - Taras P Sipko
AU - Neckruz F Bakoev
AU - Nikolai V Mamaev
AU - Veronika R Kharzinova
AU - Tatiana E Deniskova
AU - Maria N Semerikova
AU - Vugar A Bagirov
AU - Michael N Romanov
AU - Darren K Griffin
AU - Ivica Medugorac
AU - Gottfried Brem
AU - Natalia A Zinovieva
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/25
JO - Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
DO - 10.3390/ani16193018
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42882986
AB - Mitochondrial DNA is a powerful marker for reconstructing maternal lineages and phylogeographic history in wild species. The snow sheep (Ovis nivicola), a mountain ungulate endemic to Siberia and the Russian Far East, is characterized by strong geographic fragmentation and a complex taxonomic structure. A formal mitochondrial haplogroup classification system for the species has, however, been lacking. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed 257 complete mitochondrial genomes representing all major populations across the species' range. Using phylogenetic reconstruction and diagnostic mutations (present in 100% of individuals within clades), we identified four major haplogroups (A-D) and multiple nested sub-haplogroups with clear geographic structuring. Divergence times were estimated using Bayesian analysis in BEAST 2.7.7 with a relaxed lognormal clock model, calibrated by the divergence between O. dalli and O. canadensis. The results showed that haplogroup A is almost exclusive to Kamchatka, haplogroup B is predominant in northern populations, haplogroup C is the most widespread and diverse across the species range, and haplogroup D is largely restricted to the Verkhoyansk region. The mitochondrial data largely support traditional subspecies taxonomy but reveal mitochondrial polyphyly in some subspecies, particularly O. n. lydekkeri and O. n. koriakorum. This study provides the first comprehensive mitochondrial haplogroup system for snow sheep and shows that the observed mitochondrial phylogeographic patterns are consistent with an important influence of Pleistocene glacial cycles and prolonged geographic isolation on its current genetic structure. These findings offer important insights for conservation management and for understanding the evolutionary history of wild sheep in Northeast Asia.
SN - 2076-2615
ER -