Data from: Development of SNP markers identifying European wildcats, domestic cats, and their admixed progeny

Introgression can be an important evolutionary force but it can also lead
to species extinction and as such is a crucial issue for species
conservation. However, introgression is difficult to detect,
morphologically as well as genetically. Hybridization with domestic cats
(Felis silvestris catus) is a major concern for the conservation of
European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris). The available morphologic
and genetic markers for the two Felis subspecies are not sufficient to
reliably detect hybrids beyond first generation. Here we present a single
nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) based approach that allows the
identification of introgressed individuals. Using high-throughput
sequencing of reduced representation libraries we developed a diagnostic
marker set containing 48 SNPs (Fst>0.8) which allows the
identification of wildcats, domestic cats, their hybrids and backcrosses.
This allows assessing introgression rate in natural wildcat populations
and is key for a better understanding of hybridization processes.