Hybridisation between wild animals and feral individuals from closely related domestic species can occur when they share the same habitat. Such events generally regarded as a threat to genetic integrity and survival of established wild populations. The aim of this study is to confirm a hybridisation between European mouflon and feral sheep on the Adriatic island Dugi Otok, where a group of individuals phenotypically indicative of a possible introgression was photographed. Using an ovine medium-density SNP array genotypes, we provided genetic evidence of recent gene admixture between the two species. The ADMIXTURE analysis suggests that two hybrid individuals had 82.2% and 94.1% of their ancestry attributable to feral sheep, respectively, with the rest of mouflon in origin. NEWHYBRIDS analysis estimated the combined probabilities for the putative hybrid individuals belonging to one of the hybrid classes at 87.0% and 90.1%, respectively. The main phenotypic differences in the hybrids were observed in the shape of the horns, a stronger horn circumference than in the mouflon and weaker than for the sheep, pronounced horn rings, a shorter tail and intermediate colour. We therefore recommend constant monitoring of the purity of the mouflon population to maintain its genetic integrity. In addition, all feral sheep should be removed from the wild and released sheep raised in semi-wild conditions should be better controlled.

中文翻译：

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我们的外观：欧洲野生欧洲盘羊和野生家养绵羊的杂交种

当野生动物和来自密切相关的家养物种的野生个体共享相同的栖息地时，它们之间可能会发生杂交。此类事件通常被视为对现有野生种群的遗传完整性和生存的威胁。这项研究的目的是确认亚得里亚海 Dugi Otok 岛上的欧洲欧洲盘羊和野羊之间的杂交，在那里拍摄到了一组在表型上表明可能存在基因渗入的个体。使用绵羊中等密度 SNP 阵列基因型，我们提供了两个物种之间最近基因混合的遗传证据。ADMIXTURE 分析表明，两个杂交个体的 82.2% 和 94.1% 的祖先分别归因于野羊，其余的起源于欧洲盘羊。NEWHYBRIDS 分析估计，属于某一混合类别的假定混合个体的组合概率分别为 87.0% 和 90.1%。杂交种的主要表型差异体现在角的形状、角周长比欧洲盘羊强、比绵羊弱、角环明显、尾巴较短和中间颜色。因此，我们建议不断监测欧洲盘羊种群的纯度，以保持其遗传完整性。此外，应将野羊全部清除出野外，并加强对半野生条件下放养的羊的控制。角周长比欧洲盘羊大，比绵羊弱，角环明显，尾巴较短，颜色中间。因此，我们建议不断监测欧洲盘羊种群的纯度，以保持其遗传完整性。此外，应将野羊全部清除出野外，并加强对半野生条件下放养的羊的控制。角周长比欧洲盘羊大，比绵羊弱，角环明显，尾巴较短，颜色中间。因此，我们建议不断监测欧洲盘羊种群的纯度，以保持其遗传完整性。此外，应将野羊全部清除出野外，并加强对半野生条件下放养的羊的控制。