Serum protein analysis of Grey seals

Abstract

Electrophoresis provides extensive information about species relationships and subspecific structure, because taxonomically separated species are unlikely to share electrophoretic characters. The technique is best for relatively immobile species and so far fish or marine mammals have proved difficult subjects; but if interbreeding occurs only at the edges of otherwise discrete populations the technique should detect this. Transferrin polymorphism!: in geographically separated populations of Weddell and southern Fur seals have been found.Because the Grey seal returns to the same distinct localities to breed, for instance the Orkneys, Shetlands, Farnes, North Rona, Hebrides, Wales and S.W. England, it seems sensible to seek such polymorphisms in this species.In my work serum samples from eight Orkney Grey seals and thirteen Farne seals were separated on horizontal starch gels, but no polymorphisrns were found. Such a small sample is however, not likely to reveal distinct or striking polymorphism.However, a study conducted on a wider scale and with larger samples, might reveal such polymorphisms, particularly in respect of transferrins, a possibility which was suggested during the course of my work.