Tracing historical introductions in the Mediterranean Basin: the success story of the common genet (Genetta genetta) in Europe

First record of a presumed wild common genet (Genetta genetta) in Switzerland

“…This climatically favourable area offers a variety of thermophilous forests interspaced with rocky outcrops (Gilliéron & Morel, 2018) that are likely suitable habitats for the markers and a comprehensive geographic coverage indeed support that all European populations of genets are issued from few colonisation events from North Africa (Gaubert et al, 2009(Gaubert et al, , 2011. These studies also confi rmed the hypothesis of two or three hotspots of introduction, one located in southern Iberia and the other in the Balearic Islands and/or Catalonia (Gaubert et al, 2009(Gaubert et al, , 2015. These molecular analyses, however, also suggested that the earliest colonisation in southern Iberia was older than expected as it occurred at least 3000 years ago.…”

“…These molecular analyses, however, also suggested that the earliest colonisation in southern Iberia was older than expected as it occurred at least 3000 years ago. Genet introductions were thus possibly initiated by the Phoenicians during their trade across the Mediterranean, with secondary introductions into south-western Europe at subsequent historical periods (Gaubert et al, 2009(Gaubert et al, , 2015. Historically, the common genet was largely confi ned to the Iberian Peninsula and south-western France, south of the Loire and west of the Rhône rivers (Schauenberg, 1966;Delibes, 1999;Larivière & Calzada, 2001), all extra-limital occurrences being attributed to deliberate introductions or to escaped pets (Schauenberg, 1966).…”

Mitochondrial demographic history of the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon), an expanding carnivore in the Iberian Peninsula

“…The observed low genetic diversity in the Egyptian mongoose is a possible outcome of the bottleneck following its natural dispersal into Europe across the Strait of Gibraltar during the Late Pleistocene (Gaubert et al 2011). This is in contrast with the common genet Genetta genetta, which shows a relatively high level of genetic diversity in its Iberian range due to multiple introduction events (Gaubert et al 2011(Gaubert et al , 2015.…”

“…This is notably the case for introduced carnivores in the Iberian Peninsula (e.g. Lecis et al 2008;Gaubert et al , 2015Alda et al 2013). These studies are of extreme importance for improving knowledge on the dynamics of introduced populations and for providing appropriate management guidelines.…”

Primera cita de gineta Genetta genetta (Linnaeus, 1758) melánica para la Región de Murcia

“…Su distribución mundial se limita principalmente al continente africano, resultando al parecer introducida en Europa: Portugal, Francia, Andorra, España continental y Baleares, en distintos momentos históricos y por parte de diferentes pueblos, como fenicios y árabes (Gaubert et al 2015). Ocasionalmente se han encontrado individuos aislados en Alemania, Países Bajos, Italia y Suiza (Camps 2015).…”