Editing Reindeer (section)

==== Novel genetics-based clades ====
DNA also revealed three unnamed clades that, based on genetic distance, genetic divergence and shared vs. private [[haplotype]]s and [[allele]]s, together with ecological and behavioral differences, may justify separation at the subspecies level: the Atlantic-[[Gaspé Peninsula|Gaspésie]] caribou (COSEWIC DU11),<ref name="Courtois-2003" /><ref name="Yannic-2018" /> an eastern montane ecotype of the boreal woodland caribou, and the [[Baffin Island]] caribou.<ref name="Jenkins-2018">{{Cite journal |last=Jenkins |first=Deborah A. |date=2018 |title=Population structure of caribou in an ice-bound archipelago |journal=Diversity and Distributions |volume=24 |issue=8 |pages=1092–1108|doi=10.1111/ddi.12748 |bibcode=2018DivDi..24.1092J |s2cid=90854394 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Neither one of these clades has yet been formally described or named.

Jenkins et al. (2012) said that "[Baffin Island] caribou are unique compared to other Barrenground herds, as they do not overwinter in forested habitat, nor do all caribou undertake long seasonal migrations to calving areas." It also shares a mtDNA haplotype with Labrador caribou, in the North American lineage (i.e., woodland caribou).<ref name="mtDNA2"/> Røed et al. (1991)<ref name="Røed, K.H. 1991"/> had noted:<blockquote>Among Baffin Island caribou the TFL2 allele was the most common allele (p=0.521), while this allele was absent, or present in very low frequencies, in other caribou populations (Table 1), including the Canadian barren-ground caribou from the Beverly herd. A large genetic difference between Baffin Island caribou and the Beverly herd was also indicated by eight alleles found in the Beverly herd which were absent from the Baffin Island samples.</blockquote>Jenkins et al. (2018)<ref name="Jenkins-2018" /> also reported genetic distinctiveness of Baffin Island caribou from all other barren-ground caribou; its genetic signature was not found on the mainland or on other islands; nor were [[Reindeer distribution#Ahiak, Beverly and Qamanirjuaq caribou herds|Beverly herd]] (the nearest mainly barren-ground caribou) alleles present in Baffin Island caribou, evidence of reproductive isolation.

These advances in ''Rangifer'' genetics were brought together with previous morphological-based descriptions, ecology, behavior and archaeology to propose a new revision of the genus.<ref name="Harding-2022" />