Dybowski’s Sika Deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum): Genetic Divergence between Natural Primorian and Introduced Czech Populations

• DOI: 10.1093/jhered/est006
• Publication Date: 2013-03-02T09:17:19Z
• Authors: Jarmila Krojerová...; Miroslava Baranče...; Inna Voloshina; Alexander Myslenkov; Jiří Lamka; Petr Koubek
• Keywords: Subspecies; Cervus

Dybowski's sika deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum) originally inhabited the majority of Primorsky Krai in Far Eastern Russia, north-eastern China, and Korean Peninsula. At present, only Russian population seems to be stable, even though this taxon is still classified as endangered by Federation. Almost 100 years ago, subspecies, among others, was imported several European countries including Czech Republic. We used both mitochondrial (mtDNA; cytochrome b gene control region) nuclear DNA markers examine actual taxonomic status modern compare genetic diversity between introduced native populations. Altogether, 124 samples 109 Primorian were analyses. Within obtained from individuals that all morphologically sika, we detected mtDNA haplotypes (84 samples), well those belonging other subspecies: northern Japanese (25 southern (6 south-eastern Chinese (8 samples). Microsatellite analysis revealed a certain level heterozygote deficiency high inbreeding The number private alleles, factorial correspondence analysis, Bayesian clustering indicate divergence large degree differentiation population-specific alleles could result founder effect, previously suggested bottleneck within population, also affected crossbreeding captive with subspecies.