Nuclear SNPs reveal link between social and genetic structure in Hawaiian short-finned pilot whales

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Social structure and its effects on gene flow have been suggested as drivers of population structure among sympatric or parapatric groups of several highly social odontocete species. Short-finned pilot whales are another highly social species in which population structure may be driven by social structure. Long-term research in Hawai'i indicates that this species forms social groups that are stable across decades. Previous studies have demonstrated strong genetic and morphological differentiation among populations within the Pacific Ocean, and evidence has been presented for the existence of two distinct types.