Abstract
The endangered Spitsbergen stock of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) has once been large with up to estimated 100,000 individuals. Genetic diversity of the extant Spitsbergen stock is unknown. We present 10 complete mitochondrial genomes of heterochronous ancient bowhead whale samples from Svalbard (14C age estimate range: 215–8885 years) obtained via NGS of total genomic DNA extracts. The ten mitogenomes differed by nucleotide substitutions and/or indels, and there was a total of 160 variable positions. The average nucleotide diversity was π = 0.0029. There was no statistically significant correlation between genetic divergence and time.
Highlights
Bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) are the only baleen whale species that occur year-round in Arctic and subarctic regions
The Spitsbergen stock is distributed in the Greenland Sea and the northern Barents Sea, and is today classified as being Endangered by The International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (Cooke and Reeves 2018)
Total genomic DNA was extracted in a laboratory dedicated to ancient DNA work at the Natural History Museum Oslo as described by Borge et al (2007)
Summary
Bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) are the only baleen whale species that occur year-round in Arctic and subarctic regions. KEYWORDS Ancient DNA; baleen whales; mitogenomics; Spitsbergen; Svalbard Two studies have hitherto used genetic approaches on Spitsbergen stock bowhead whales.
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