title: Hybrids between common and Antarctic minke whales are fertile and can back-cross.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Minke whales are separated into two genetically distinct species: the Antarctic minke whale found in the southern hemisphere, and the common minke whale which is cosmopolitan. The common minke whale is further divided into three allopatric sub-species found in the North Pacific, southern hemisphere, and the North Atlantic. Here, we aimed to identify the genetic ancestry of a pregnant female minke whale captured in the North Atlantic in 2010, and her fetus, using data from the mtDNA control region, 11 microsatellite loci and a sex determining marker.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All statistical parameters demonstrated that the mother was a hybrid displaying maternal and paternal contribution from North Atlantic common and Antarctic minke whales respectively. Her female fetus displayed greater genetic similarity to North Atlantic common minke whales than herself, strongly suggesting that the hybrid mother had paired with a North Atlantic common minke whale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study clearly demonstrates, for the first time, that hybrids between minke whale species may be fertile, and that they can back-cross. Whether contact between these species represents a contemporary event linked with documented recent changes in the Antarctic ecosystem, or has occurred at a low frequency over many years, remains open.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Research, PO box 1870, Nordnes N-5817, Bergen, Norway. Kevin.glover@imr.no
authors.forename: Kevin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Glover
authors.forename: Naohisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanda
authors.forename: Tore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haug
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Pastene
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Øien
authors.forename: Bjørghild B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Seliussen
authors.forename: Anne G E
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Sørvik
authors.forename: Hans J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Skaug
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D050636:Minke Whale / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011247:Pregnancy; D014907:Whales / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial