title: Genetic structure of Mediterranean chukar (Alectoris chukar, Galliformes) populations: conservation and management implications.
abstract: The chukar (Alectoris chukar, Galliformes) is a species hunted throughout its native range from the East Mediterranean to Manchuria and in the USA, which hosts the world's largest introduced population. This study aims to investigate the genetic structure of Mediterranean chukar populations to aid management decisions. We genotyped 143 specimens at two regions of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA: cytochrome b, control region) and eight loci of the microsatellite DNA. Samples were collected in northern (Limnos, Lesvos, Chios) and southern (Crete) Aegean islands (Greece) and Cyprus. We also carried out mtDNA-based comparison with chukars (n = 124) from Asia (16 countries) and the USA (five states). We propose six management units for Mediterranean populations. Given their genetic integrity, Limnos and Cyprus, which host different subspecies, proved to be of primary conservation interest. We found exotic A. chukar mtDNA lineages in Lesvos, Chios and Crete and produced definitive genetic evidence for the Asian origin of the US chukars.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Protistology-Zoology Unit, Via A. Volta 6, Pisa, Italy. fbarbanera@biologia.unipi.it
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barbanera
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marchi
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guerrini
authors.forename: Panicos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panayides
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sokos
authors.forename: Pantelis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hadjigerou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001208:Asia; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D004276:DNA, Satellite / Q000235:genetics; D017753:Ecosystem; D005241:Feathers; D046094:Galliformes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005838:Genotype; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018401:Sample Size; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D004276:DNA, Satellite; D005819:Genetic Markers; D004247:DNA; D045303:Cytochromes b