Tsvirka M.V., Chelomina G.N., Korablev V.P.
Zoologicheskiy zhurnal 2006; 85(5): 629-640
The genetic diversity and phylogeny of ground squirrels of the subgenus Colohotis (Spermophilus fulvus, S. major, and S. erythrogenys) were studied using the RAPD-PCR analysis with eight arbitrary primers. Three subspecies, S. e. erythrogenys, S. e. brevicauda, and S. e. pallidicauda, are differentiated to a greater extent. The subspecies S. e. brevicauda (the iliensis form) is highly variable. The form S. e. heptneri is closer to S. e. brevicauda than to S. e. erythrogenys or S. major. The high level of molecular divergence (UPGMA-, NJ- and MST-reconstructions) of the ground squirrels investigated allow to consider S. fulvus, S. major, S. erythrogenys, S. brevicauda and S. pallidicauda as independent taxa of species rank within the subgenus Colobotis.
