1 Biology, ecology and status of Iberian ibex Capra pyrenaica: a critical review and 2 research prospectus 3 4 Pelayo Acevedo1,2 & Jorge Cassinello1* 5 6 1Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de 7 Toledo s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain 8 2Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, United Kingdom 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 *Corresponding author: Jorge Cassinello E-mail:
[email protected] 19 20 21 22 Running title: Iberian ibex biology and ecology 23 Word count: 8452 24 1 25 ABSTRACT 26 1. The Iberian ibex Capra pyrenaica is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and of the four 27 subspecies originally recognized, recent extinctions mean that only two now persist. 28 Recent genetic analyses have cast doubt on the generally accepted taxonomy of the 29 species, four subspecies distinguished by coat colour and horn morphology, and propose 30 the distinction of two subspecies based on their mitochondrial DNA sequence 31 polymorphism. These analyses make clear the need for a comprehensive revision that 32 integrates genetic and morphological approaches resulting in a definitive description and 33 differentiation of the subspecies. 34 2. Studies of ibex behavioural ecology and health status are scarce and generally descriptive. 35 They should be implemented in an integrative way, taking into account ecological 36 requirements of the species, current population status, the presence of other sympatric 37 wild and domestic ungulates, and the type of hunting regime and management attained in 38 their distribution areas. 39 3. A natural expansion of the species is currently taking place.