Data from: Genome-wide analysis of SNPs is consistent with no domestic dog ancestry in the endangered Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi)

The Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) was historically distributed
throughout the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Extensive
predator removal campaigns during the early 20th century, however,
resulted in its eventual extirpation by the mid 1980s. At this time, the
Mexican wolf existed only in three separate captive lineages (McBride,
Ghost Ranch, and Aragón) descended from three, two, and two founders,
respectively. These lineages were merged in 1995 to increase the available
genetic variation, and Mexican wolves were reintroduced into Arizona and
New Mexico in 1998. Despite the ongoing management of the Mexican wolf
population, it has been suggested that a proportion of the Mexican wolf
ancestry may be recently derived from hybridization with domestic dogs. In
this study, we genotyped 87 Mexican wolves, including individuals from all
three captive lineages and cross-lineage wolves, for more than 172,000
single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We identified levels of genetic
variation consistent with the pedigree record and effects of genetic
rescue. To identify the potential to detect hybridization with domestic
dogs, we compared our Mexican wolf genotypes with those from studies of
domestic dogs and other gray wolves. The proportion of Mexican wolf
ancestry assigned to domestic dogs was only between 0.06% (SD 0.23%) and
7.8% (SD 1.0%) for global and local ancestry estimates, respectively; and
was consistent with simulated levels of incomplete lineage sorting.
Overall, our results suggested that Mexican wolves lack biologically
significant ancestry with dogs and have useful implications for the
conservation and management of this endangered wolf subspecies.