GEOGRAPHIC MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA VARIATION IN THE ROCK HYRAX, PROCAVIA-CAPENSIS

Restriction-fragment-length polymorphisms in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were used to evaluate geographic population genetic structure in the rock hyrax, Procavia capensis, a species which occurs widely, though restricted to rocky habitat, throughout South Africa. Ten restriction endonucleases were employed to assay mtDNAs from 55 specimens representing 10 localities. Haplotypes showed strong geographic patterning, and estimates of nucleotide sequence divergence indicate two major clades thought to be dispersing along separate routes. The divergence time of approximately 2 Myr between clades is relatively high for intraspecific variation. We speculate that the marked genetic break distinguishing the northwestern populations from those constituting the south/central clade may be indicative of two species in what has conventionally been regarded as P. capensis.