Genetic population structure of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) that summer in Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia

<p>To determine the sex composition of gray whales that summer in Clayoquot Sound (CS), British Columbia and to assess whether these animals represent a genetically distinct subgroup of the eastern North Pacific (ENP) population, I collected skin samples from 18 individuals in CS ("residents"). Fourteen samples obtained from other areas served as random representatives of the overall population in the ENP ("non-residents"). Sex was determined for each sample; the nucleotide sequence of a 311 base-pair segment at the 5$\sp\prime$ end of the mtDNA control region was determined by automated sequencing. The sex ratio among residents was 2.6 to 1 nominally biased towards males, but was not significantly different from parity (p = 0.06). Residents were not significantly different from non-residents (Kst = $-$0.02, p = 0.79). Neighbor-joining analysis revealed three clades that did not correspond to any obvious geographic pattern. These data indicate the ENP population is genetically homogeneous.</p>