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Abstract
Genetic diversity is a key factor in the long-term viability of a population; thus, it is important to understand intrinsic and extrinsic processes that influence genetic diversity within and among populations. We examined parentage in 151 American alligator nests and find that 43% of nests were sired by multiple males and that male reproductive success is strongly influenced by male size. No significant difference was found between the sizes of hatchlings or clutch size from multiply sired clutches and singly sired clutches. However, fertility rates were lower in multiply sired clutches. Our findings suggest that sexual conflict might influence the frequency of multiple paternity. We then examined 192 individuals from 8 populations. We developed DNA sequence capture methods to explore how the populations are connected.