Estimation of the genetic distance between bontebok and blesbok using mitochondrial DNA

The bontebok, Damaliscus dorcas dorcas, belongs to the subfamily Alcelaphinae, which includes the tsessebe, the herola (Hunter's hartebeest), and the various wildebeest and hartebeest species. It has been a matter of controversy whether the blesbok, Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi, justifies a separate specific or subspecific status relative to the bontebok. Here we have compared restriction maps of mitochondrial DNA prepared from bontebok and blesbok, from which we have calculated a sequence divergence value of 0.47%, consistent with the current sub-specific designation.(DBO)