Journal
MAMMALIAN BIOLOGY
Volume 94, Issue 1, Pages 140-148Publisher
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2018.05.003
Keywords
Hybrid; Meles leucurus; Meles meles; Microsatellite; Volga-Kama region
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Funding
- Japan Society of the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
- Russian Foundation for Basic Research [RFBR 16-54-50004]
- Japan Arctic Research Network Center
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Two closely related species of Meles (Carnivora), the European badger (M. meles) and the Asian badger (M. leucurus), are distributed allopatrically in continental Eurasia but show a narrow contact zone around the Volga and Kama Rivers, Russia. We analyzed maternally (mitochondrial DNA), paternally (SRY gene and CAN-SINEs on the Y chromosome), and biparentally (CFTR gene and nine microsatellite loci) inherited genes for evidence of hybridization between the two species in the contact zone. Of 71 badgers examined, we identified 17 individuals as hybrids with mixed genotypes for the first time. Some hybrids appeared to have resulted from repeated backcrossing with the parental species. In addition, the hybridization was symmetric between the two species. Compared with previous palaeontological data, the hybridization between the two species could have resulted from secondary contact due to western expansion in distribution by the Asian badgers. (C) 2018 Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Saugetierkunde. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
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