Fossil and genomic evidence constrains the timing of bison arrival in North America

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1620754114
• Publication Date: 2017-03-14T01:09:36Z
• Authors: Duane Froese; Mathias Stiller; Peter D. Heintzman; Alberto V. Reyes; Grant D. Zazula; André E. R. Soares; Matthias Meyer; Elizabeth Hall; Britta J. L. Jensen; Lee J. Arnold; Ross D. E. MacPhee; Beth Shapiro
• Keywords: Land bridge; Bison bison

Significance The appearance of bison in North America is both ecologically and paleontologically significant. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA from the oldest known American fossils to reveal that were present northern by 195–135 thousand y ago, having entered Asia via Bering Land Bridge. After their arrival, quickly colonized much rest continent, where they rapidly diversified phenotypically, producing, for example, giant long-horned morphotype Bison latifrons during last interglaciation.