Research overview: phylogeography and conservation genetics of the jaguar

The jaguar, the largest cat of the Americas, ranges from the southwestern United States to Argentina, and genetic studies have examined how this vast distribution is structured. This overview surveys evidence that jaguars retain relatively high gene flow across much of their range with limited deep subdivision, the role of major barriers such as the Amazon basin and the Darien region in shaping populations, and the genetic isolation of peripheral northern populations. It discusses the molecular basis of jaguar melanism, the conservation implications of maintaining connectivity across an increasingly fragmented landscape, and how range-wide genetics informs efforts to preserve the jaguar as a wide-ranging apex predator.