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Science 1 December 2006:
Vol. 314. no. 5804, p. 1390
DOI: 10.1126/science.1132585
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Technical Comments

Comment on "Population Size Does Not Influence Mitochondrial Genetic Diversity in Animals"

Connie J. Mulligan,1* Andrew Kitchen,1 Michael M. Miyamoto2

Bazin et al. (Reports, 28 April, 2006, p. 570) found no relationship between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity and population size when comparing across large groups of animals. We show empirically that species with smaller populations, as represented by eutherian mammals, exhibit a positive correlation between mtDNA and allozyme variation, suggesting that mtDNA diversity may correlate with population size in these animals.

1 Department of Anthropology, Box 103610, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
2 Department of Zoology, Box 118525, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mulligan{at}anthro.ufl.edu

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