Data from: Cryptic diversity in black rats Rattus rattus of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Human activity has facilitated the introduction of a number of alien
mammal species to the Galápagos Archipelago. Understanding the
phylogeographic history and population genetics of invasive species on the
Archipelago is an important step in predicting future spread and designing
effective management strategies. In this study, we describe the invasion
pathway of Rattus rattus across the Galápagos using microsatellite data,
coupled with historical knowledge. Microsatellite genotypes were generated
for 581 R. rattus sampled from 15 islands in the archipelago. The genetic
data suggest that there are at least three genetic lineages of R. rattus
present on the Galápagos Islands. The spatial distributions of these
lineages correspond to the main centers of human settlement in the
archipelago. There was limited admixture among these three lineages, and
these finding coupled with low rates of gene flow among island populations
suggests that interisland movement of R. rattus is rare. The low migration
among islands recorded for the species will have a positive impact on
future eradication efforts.