Genetic Variability and Biochemical Systematics of Domestic and Wild Cat Populations (Felis silvestris: Felidae)

Abstract

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Variability of coat‐colour and markings system inFelis silvestris

“…These consistent results seem to confirm the evolutionary relevance of the markings and colour of the coat in these mammals. From a taxonomic point of view, indeed, the sharing of the common bulk of 28 regional coat-patterns, confirms the condition of non-separate species of the domestic cat, European and Sardinian (African) wildcats, previously investigated by morphometric (Ragni & Randi, 1986), enzyme-genetic (Randi & Ragni, 1991), and inheritance-genetic (Ragni & Possenti, 1992) procedures. In fact, the sharp separation between the coat-colour and markings system variation ranges of the three forms is not linked to their specific separation.…”

“…In fact, the first pair (13 common patterns) shows an evident positive correlation (r = 0.44), the second (16 shared patterns) a slightly negative one (r = -0.28), and the last (only 6 common patterns) displays a highly negative association (r = -0.9). These results are in line with the fact that a considerable phylogenetic separation in time and space is attributed to the wild subspecies, and that the domestic cat has separated only relatively recently from the African (including Sardinian) group (Clutton-Brock, 1981;Malek, 1993 measured by Randi & Ragni (1991) on the basis of allele frequencies for polymorphic loci in samples of the same taxa(Ew-Sw = 0.0133; Sw-D = 0.0043) show a proportion very similar (0.32) to that found with the frequency for coat-colour and markings patterns (Fig. 4).…”

“…The debate on the taxonomic status of the, Old World wildcats and the domestic cat (Ragni & Randi, 1986;Randi & Ragni, 1991) is far from ended as can be seen from a recent discussion held by a Committee of the Council of Europe [«Seminar on the biology and conservation of the wildcat (Felis silvestris) ^, Environmental Encounters, no. 16, Strasbourg 1993, 123 pp.…”

Comparative morphometrical and biochemical-genetic investigations in wild and ranch mink (Mustela vison: Carnivora: Mammalia)

“…Electrophoretic monomorphism was reported by Sirmnsen (1982) for common and abundant mustelid species like stoats (Mustela erminea), weasels (M. nivalis), polecats (M. putorius), beech and pine martens (Martes F oina, M. martes) and badgers (Meles meles), and by Kilpatrick et al (1986) for the rare black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes). However, nine often investigated species of Felidae, the carnivoran family on which the most detailed allozyme data are available, were characterized by a notable biochemical-genetic variability (Newman et al 1985, Randi andRagni 1991). Hartl et al (1988) doubted that mustelids, or even carnivores as an order, are genetically less variable than other mammals, and described fairly elevated heterozygosities for weasels and stoats from Austrian populations, with somewhat less marked variability for small series of badgers, polecats, and beech martens.…”

Population genetic analysis of Colombian Trypanosoma cruzi isolates revealed by enzyme electrophoretic profiles

“…This is another symptomatic event of clonal structure. To illustrate this, the values found in various animal species are as follows: cats in Spain, Balearic Islands and Italy (G ST = 0.03, 0.02 and 0.03, respectively, Ruiz-Garcia 1993, 1994a, Randi & Ragni 1991 Nevo et al 1986), and Triticum turgidum (G ST = 0.37, Nevo et al 1988). None of these values get near that obtained for Trypanosoma.…”