Neutral and functional genetic datasets
We used an existing data set of 14 neutral microsatellite loci (Fca031, Fca035, Fca077, Fca090, Fca096, Fca441, Fca391, Fca559, Lc106, Lc109, Lc110, Lc111, Lc118) (Koen et al., 2014, Prentice et al., 2017a). We omitted samples missing genotypes from more than 2 loci (Table 1). The candidate gene cTNR amplified in this study is within the NR1D1gene. Primer design, optimization and amplification of this marker was conducted in Prentice et al., (2017a). We used the existing dataset ofNR1D1 genotypes and genotyped bobcat individuals and additional lynx from New Brunswick, Cape Breton Island, and Newfoundland according to the same protocol. Sample sizes for analyses of the NR1D1locus are slightly smaller due to missing genotypic data for some samples (Table 1).