Background Previous investigations of phylogeny in Cervus recovered many clades without whole genomic support. Methods In this study, the genetic diversity and phylogeny of 5 species (21 subspecies/populations from C. unicolor , C. albirostris , C. nippon , C. elaphus and C. eldii ) in the genus Cervus were analyzed using reduced-representation genome sequencing. Results A total of 197,543 SNPs were identified with an average sequencing depth of 16 x. A total of 21 SNP matrices for each subspecies/population and 1 matrix for individual analysis were constructed, respectively. Nucleotide diversity and heterozygosity analysis showed that all 21 subspecies/populations had different degrees of genetic diversity. C. eldii , C. unicolor and C. albirostris showed relatively high expected and observed heterozygosity, while observed heterozygosity in C. nippon was the lowest, indicating there was a certain degree of inbreeding rate in these subspecies/populations. Phylogenetic ML tree of all Cervus based on the 21 SNP matrices showed 5 robustly supported clades that clearly separate C. eldii , C. unicolor , C. albirostris , C. elaphus and C. nippon . Within C. elaphus clade, 4 subclades were well differentiated and statistically highly supported: C. elaphus (New Zealand), C. e. yarkandensis , C. c. canadensis and the other grouping the rest of C. canadensis from China. In the C. nippon clade, 2 well-distinct subclades corresponding to C. n. aplodontus and other C. nippon populations were separated. Phylogenetic reconstruction indicated that the first evolutionary event of the genus Cervus occurred approximately 7.4 millions of years ago. The split between C. elaphus and C. nippon could be estimated at around 3.6 millions of years ago. Phylogenetic ML tree of all samples based on individual SNP matrices, together with geographic distribution, have shown that there were 3 major subclades of C. elaphus and C. canadensis in China, namely C. e. yarkandensis (distributed in Tarim Basin), C. c. macneilli/C. c. kansuensis / C. c. alashanicus (distributed in middle west of China), ...

The complete mitochondrial genome of the tarim red deer, Cervus elaphus yarkandensis, was determined by accurate polymerase chain reaction. The entire genome was 16,351 bp in length and contained 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and 1 control region, all of which were arranged in a typical vertebrate manner. The overall base composition of the northeast sika deer's mitochondrial genome was 33.3% of A, 24.4% of C, 28.9% of T and 13.4% of G. A termination-associated sequence and several conserved central sequence block domains were discovered within the control region.

The complete mitochondria genome of the reindeer, Rangifer tarandus, was determined by accurate polymerase chain reaction. The entire genome is 16,357 bp in length and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and a D-loop region, all of which are arranged in a typical vertebrate manner. The overall base composition of the reindeer's mitochondrial genome is 33.7% of A, 23.1% of C, 30.1% of T and 13.2%of G. A termination associated sequence and several conserved central sequence block domains were discovered within the control region.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the northeastern red deer, Cervus elaphus xanthopygus, was determined by accurate polymerase chain reaction. The entire genome is 16,416 bp in length and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and 1 control region, all of which are arranged in a typical vertebrate manner. The overall base composition of the northeastern red deer's mitochondrial genome is 33.3% of A, 24.3% of C, 28.9% of T and 13.5% of G. A termination-associated sequence and several conserved central sequence block domains were discovered within the control region.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the northeastern sika deer, Cervus nippon hortulorum, was determined by accurate polymerase chain reaction. The entire genome is 16,434 bp in length and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and 1 control region, all of which are arranged in a typical vertebrate manner. The overall base composition of the northeastern sika deer's mitochondrial genome is 33.3% of A, 24.5% of C, 28.7% of T and 13.5% of G. A termination associated sequence and several conserved central sequence block domains were discovered within the control region.