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Aim Our aim was to assess the population structure, genetic diversity and demographic history of the wolverine (Gulo gulo) throughout its entire Eurasian range. Additionally, we aimed to contextualize and put into perspective the state of the endangered Fennoscandian population by emphasizing its connectivity to other populations. Location The main study area covered most of the Eurasian wolverine range, with samples from Finland, Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Methods Using a 495 bp fragment of the mitochondrial DNA control region and a frequently used set of 14 microsatellite markers on an extensive dataset of samples, we assessed the population structure, genetic diversity, and demographic history of wolverines with a variety of population genetic analyses. Results According to both nuclear and mitochondrial genetic markers, Eurasian wolverines exhibit substructure, with the most distinct population located in Fennoscandia. The Fennoscandian population has undergone a genetic bottleneck, likely influencing its genetic diversity, which is notably the lowest in Eurasia. Genetic diversity in the rest of Eurasia gradually rises towards the central part of the range and decreases again in the east, although not as significantly as in the west. Main Conclusions This study reveals the population structure of wolverines across Eurasia and provides direction for allocating conservation efforts to sustain a diverse and connected wolverine population. While most of the Eurasian populations seem to be well‐connected and genetically diverse, the Fennoscandian wolverines may need better connectivity to the other Eurasian populations to ensure gene flow and long‐term persistence. Our study further highlights the importance of considering the population genetic structure and diversity of the entire species range when planning management strategies.

We studied the relationship between the variability and contemporary distribution of pelage phenotypes in one of most widely distributed felid species and an array of environmental and demographic conditions. We collected 672 photographic georeferenced records of the Eurasian lynx throughout Eurasia. We assigned each lynx coat to one of five phenotypes. Then we fitted the coat patterns to different environmental and anthropogenic variables, as well as the effective geographic distances from inferred glacial refugia. A majority of lynx were either of the large spotted (41.5%) or unspotted (uniform, 36.2%) phenotype. The remaining patterns (rosettes, small spots and pseudo-rosettes) were represented in 11.0%, 7.4%, and 3.9% of samples, respectively. Although various environmental variables greatly affected lynx distribution and habitat suitability, it was the effect of least-cost distances from locations of the inferred refugia during the Last Glacial Maximum that explained the distribution of lynx coat patterns the best. Whereas the occurrence of lynx phenotypes with large spots was explained by the proximity to refugia located in the Caucasus/Middle East, the uniform phenotype was associated with refugia in the Far East and Central Asia. Despite the widely accepted hypothesis of adaptive functionality of coat patterns in mammals and exceptionally high phenotypic polymorphism in Eurasian lynx, we did not find well-defined signs of habitat matching in the coat pattern of this species. Instead, we showed how the global patterns of morphological variability in this large mammal and its environmental adaptations may have been shaped by past climatic change.