Is the Rangifer tarandus actually 5-6 different species, & what is the true status of the finnish forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus/Rangifer fennicus)?
We know the Rangifer to be circumpolarly distributed with a widespread population and a late Pliocene temporal origin, having an intrinsic connection to northern cultures of man, both prehistoric and contemporary. So, has anyone realized that the reindeer (Rangifer) may actually be 5–6 different species? Apparently, Lee Harding thinks so, as he has managed to provide evidence, including FST and morphological grounds for speciation. There's also a claim in the article authored by Lee Harding that Rangifer tarandus fennicus descends from an extinct non-monophyletic (in relation to the other Rangifer taxa) ancestor within Rangifer. If one reads the article, is there enough to conclude Rangifer fennicus is actually a descendent of a taxon mistakenly attributed to Cervus?
web sources: https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/80233/
