Data from: Congruent signals of population history but radically different patterns of genetic diversity between mitochondrial and nuclear markers in a mountain lizard

Historical factors, current population size, population connectivity and
selective processes at linked loci contribute to shaping contemporary
patterns of neutral genetic diversity. It is now widely acknowledged that
nuclear and mitochondrial markers react differently to current demography
as well as to past history, so the use of both types of markers is often
advocated to gain insight on both historical and contemporary processes.
We used 12 microsatellite loci genotyped in 13 populations of a mountain
lizard (Iberolacerta bonnali) to test if the historical scenario favoured
by a previous mitochondrial study was also supported by nuclear markers
and thereby evaluated the consequences of post-glacial range movements on
nuclear diversity. Congruent signals of recent history were revealed by
nuclear and mitochondrial markers using an Approximate Bayesian
Computation approach but contemporary patterns of mtDNA and nuclear DNA
diversity were radically different. Although dispersal in this species is
probably highly restricted at all spatial scales, colonisation abilities
have been historically good, suggesting capability for reestablishment of
locally extinct populations except in fully disconnected habitats.