This paper describes a genetic analysis of wild-living cats in Scotland. Samples from 230 wild-living Scottish cats (including 13 museum skins) and 74 house cats from England and Scotland were surveyed for nine microsatellite loci. Pelage characteristics of the wild-living cats were recorded, and the cats were then grouped into five separate categories depending on the degree to which they conformed to the characteristics attributed to Felis silvestris Schreber, 1775. Allele frequency differences between the morphological groups are greater than those among the three house cat samples. Analysis of genetic distances suggests that more of the differences between individuals can be explained by pelage than geographical proximity, and that pelage and geographical location are not confounded. Ordination of the genetic distances suggests two main groups of wild-living cats, with intermediates, and one group is genetically very similar to the house cats, while the other group contains all cats taxonomically identified as wildcat based on morphology. A genetic mixture analysis gives similar results to the ordination, but also suggests that the genotypes of a substantial number of cats in the wildcat group are drawn from a gene pool with genotypes in approximately equilibrium proportions. We argue that this is evidence that these cats do not have very recent domestic ancestry. However, from the morphological data it is highly likely that this gene pool also contains a contribution from earlier introgression of domestic cat genes.

No abstract

During summer the brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus (Vespertilionidae) forms stable colonies, comprised of both adult females and males and young of the year. A long-term ringing study conducted in north-east Scotland has established that little movement occurs among colonies and that both sexes are recruited into their natal colony. The aim of the present study was to investigate, using microsatellite DNA markers, if genetic structure within the population re£ects the spatial structure indicated by ringing. Inter-colony F ST estimates obtained for all colony members, and for females and males separately, were low (0.019, 0.026 and 0.011, respectively), but all values di¡ered signi¢cantly from zero. These data indicate high gene £ow between colonies, although some coancestry among colony members is evident in both sexes. On combining the ringing and genetic data, it is concluded that gene £ow occurs via extracolony copulation, rather than natal dispersal, and that each colony behaves as a distinct subpopulation. Microgeographical genetic isolation by distance was demonstrated for, to our knowledge, the ¢rst time in a bat species, and found to be apparent both across the entire study area and along one river valley. The results suggest that extensive macrogeographical population genetic structure may be evident across the species' range.

Summary 1.The wildcat is considered to be threatened by interbreeding with the domestic cat. As a result of interbreeding the definition of a wildcat in Scotland is contentious. Many authors consider pelage characteristics to be diagnostic, yet few data exist on sympatric cats with different pelages. 2. A study of 31 wild-living cats was conducted from 1995 to 1997 in an area associated with wildcats. Seventy-four per cent of cats caught had striped tabby pelages while 26% had other (non-tabby) phenotypes. 3. On the basis of data from eight nuclear DNA microsatellite loci there was no strong evidence of two groups, and tabby and non-tabby cats did not depart significantly from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. 4. There were significant differences in gene frequencies and genotypes between the two pelage types. Non-tabby cats were also significantly more similar to domestic cats than tabby cats, although still noticeably differentiated from them. 5. There were potential parent-offspring and sibling-sibling relationships between and within tabby and non-tabby cats, suggesting recent interbreeding. On average, however, non-tabby cats were genetically less related to each other than tabby cats. 6. Radio-tracking revealed that non-tabby adult females had significantly larger home ranges than tabby adult females. However, for all other aspects of home range size, social organization, activity patterns and habitat use there were no significant differences between cats of different pelage type. 7. The implications of these results are that traditional approaches for attempting to distinguish wild animals in the face of interbreeding with their domestic forms are neither accurate nor effective. Instead, conservation should focus on mechanisms for dealing with groups of animals below the species level. 8. Specifically for the wildcat in Scotland, conservation should focus on protection by area. If domestic cat controls were conducted within specified areas then the potential threat posed by interbreeding would be reduced.

No abstract

Following a dramatic decline last century, the British population of the endangered greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum is highly fragmented. To examine the consequences of fragmentation and limited dispersal on patterns of genetic structure and variation, we used microsatellite markers to screen bats from around 50% of the known maternity colonies in Britain, and two areas from continental Europe. Analyses revealed that Welsh and English colonies were genetically isolated. This, and lower variability in Britain than north France, may result from either genetic drift, or the species' colonization history. Gene flow among most neighbouring colonies was not generally restricted, with one exception. These findings have important implications for the ongoing conservation management of this species.

The brown long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus, is unusual among temperate zone bats in that summer maternity colonies are composed of adult males and females, with both sexes displaying natal philopatry and long-term association with a colony. Here, we describe the use of microsatellite analysis to investigate colony relatedness and mating patterns, with the aim of identifying the evolutionary determinants of social organization in P. auritus. Mean colony relatedness was found to be low (R=0.033 +/- 0.002), with pairwise estimates of R within colonies ranging from -0.4 to 0.9. The proportion of young fathered by males in their own colony was investigated using a Bayesian approach, incorporating parameters detailing the number of untyped individuals. This analysis revealed that most offspring were fathered by males originating from a different colony to their own. In addition, we determined that the number of paternal half-sibs among cohorts of young was low, inferring little or no skew in male reproductive success. The results of this study suggest that kin selection cannot account for colony stability and natal philopatry in P. auritus, which may instead be explained by advantages accrued through the use of familiar and successful roost sites, and through long-term associations with conspecifics. Moreover, because the underlying causes of male natal dispersal in mammals, such as risk of inbreeding or competition for mates, appear to be avoided via extra-colony copulation and low male reproductive skew, both P. auritus males and females are able to benefit from long-term association with the natal colony.

The relationships among 207 squirrels from 12 locations in the UK and three in mainland Europe were examined using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequence. Twenty-six haplotypes were detected, many of which were population specific. Eighty per cent of the populations analysed contained two or more haplotypes. Hierarchical analysis of molecular variance showed the majority of genetic variation to be partitioned among populations. Genetic diversity varied considerably within the UK, and conformed to no obvious geographical trend. The populations in Argyll and Spadeadam Forest showed the highest levels of variation in the UK. However, the greatest genetic diversity was seen in Bavaria, southern Germany where six unique alleles were detected in a sample of 10 individuals. Phylogenetic analysis revealed no evolutionary divergence between UK and mainland European haplotypes. We conclude that, within the UK, the genetic patterns observed are most likely to be explained by the effects of genetic drift which has occurred since the isolation of populations during the past few hundred years, hence we cannot detect any underlying phylogeographic pattern. Therefore, the use of larger, geographically distinct populations within the UK for augmentation of small isolated populations is unlikely to pose problems of genetic incompatibility. Further, the role that demographic factors may have in complicating the application of current genetically based management unit criteria is likely to need further attention.