Multilocus Analysis of Phylogenetic Relationships in the Crocidura suaveolens Sensu Lato Species Complex: A Comparison with Mitochondrial Data.

Multilocus analysis was for the first time used to study the phylogeny of the Crocidura suaveolens s. l. species complex. Sequencing data for 16 nuclear genes indicated that several distinct forms exist within the species complex. The structure of the complex did generally not contradict its mitochondrial phylogeny. Siberian shrew showed certain specificity of the nuclear genome, but the degree of its genetic differentiation did not correspond to the species level. Relationships of Crocidura aff. suaveolens from South Gansu and Sichuan with other forms of the species complex were clarified. Shrews from Buryatia and Khentei also belong to this form, but their mtDNA apparently introgressed from C. shantungensis in the past. Hybridization of C. suaveolens s. str. with C. aff. suaveolens and C. güeldenstaedtii occurred recently. Due to multiple introgression events in the history of C. suaveolens s. l., a far larger set of loci is necessary for the analysis of the phylogenetic relationships between its forms.

Is There a Relationship between the Chitty Effect and the Types of Population Dynamics?

Thirty-year studies of populations of eight shrew species in the Middle Yenisei taiga have shown that at the late 20th century the population dynamics had a pronounced cyclic character, but in the 21st century cyclic dynamics changed with fluctuating one. The analysis of the dependence of the animal body weight on the population density have revealed that under cyclic dynamics at the peaks of the population, the animal's body weight is significantly higher than that at population decline, i.e., the corollary from the Chitty hypothesis (the Chitty effect) is observed. In populations with fluctuating dynamics such regularity has not been observed.

Is the Center of Origin of Long-tailed Hamster Cricetulus longicaudatus Milne-Edwards 1867 (Rodentia, Cricetidae) Located in Tibet?

First data on morphological and mitochondrial variation in the long-tailed hamster Cricetulus longicaudatus is presented. In contrast to genetically monomorphic populations of Mongolia and Tuva, the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetian Plateau was found to harbor several divergent mtDNA lineages. This pattern suggests a recent expansion of the long-tailed hamster to the northern part of its recent range, which started from Tibet, presumably, in the late Middle Pleistocene. Several populations from the northern edge of the species range were found to be morphologically but not genetically distinct. The apparent disagreement between genetic and morphological data can be explained by rapid morphological evolution in peripheral isolates.

Unexpectedly high genetic diversity of the asiatic short-tailed shrews Blarinella (Mammalia, Lipotyphla, Soricidae).

Genetic diversity of the genus Blarinella was studied using one mitochondrial and four nuclear genes as examples. The first genotyping of shrews from the southeast of Gansu province (China), which is a typical habitat of B. griselda, has been performed. Molecular genetic analysis showed that Blarinella sp. from southern Gansu stand apart among the other representatives of the genus and can be assigned to neither of the known species.

Western Siberia rivers and the boundaries between chromosomal races of the common shrew (Sorex araneus L. Lipotyphla, Mammalia).

In Western Siberia, most boundaries between common shrew chromosomal races have been found to pass along the banks of rivers, mainly those flowing in the meridional direction. The races Serov and Novosibirsk co-inhabited the right bank of the Irtysh. The easternmost point of the Novosibirsk race has been found on the middle Yenisei River, while the race Tomsk in this area was only on the right (eastern) bank.

Phylogenetic position of the Gansu mole Scapanulus oweni Thomas, 1912 and the relationships between strictly fossorial tribes of the family talpidae.

The results of the first molecular study focused on the phylogenetic position of the Gansu mole, Scapanulus oweni are presented. The analysis based on sequences of the mitochondrial cytb gene and five nuclear genes supports the monophyly of the Scalopini tribe including S. oweni and shows that two highly fossorial talpid tribes, Talpini and Scalopini, are not immediate sister taxa. These results highlight the role of morphological parallelism as a potential source of conflict between molecular and morphology-based phylogenies in Talpidae.

[Stability of the population variants of the B-chromosome system in the East-Asian mouse Apodemys peninsulae from the Baikal region and northern Mongolia].

Analysis of the B-chromosome frequency and morphotypes in 160 mice Apodemus peninsulae from 17 localities of the Baikal region, Northern Mongolia, Trans-Baikalia, and the Russian Far East showed that the mice were from five geographical populations. The interpopulation difference was determined by variations of 0-4 macro B chromosomes and 0-11 micro B chromosomes. The B-chromosome number and morphotypes proved to be stable over the past 30 years in the geographical populations under study.

Distribution of mouse mammary tumor virus-related sequences does not correlate with the taxonomic position of their hosts.

Sequences (MRS) distantly related to mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) were found in genomes of a wide range of mammalian species using blot hybridization. The number of MRS copies and the degree of their homology with the hybridization probe varied and did not correlate with the taxonomic position of the species. Nevertheless, within a genus the set of MRS was species specific and reflected the taxonomic relation between the species. MRS were also found in avian genomes and the degree of their homology did not correlate with the taxonomic position of the species either. The origin and distribution of MRS is discussed on the basis of the authors' and published data.

[Sequences homologous to mouse mammary cancer virus are common in mammalian and avian genomes]. / Posledovatel'nosti, gomologichnye virusu raka molochnoi zhelezy myshei, shiroko predstavleny v genomakh mlekopitaiushchikh i ptits.

Sequences distantly related to mouse mammary tumor virus (MRS) were found in a wide range of mammalian genomes using blot hybridization. The number of MRS copies and the degree of their relationship with the hybridization probe varied and did not correlate with the evolutionary similarity of the species. Nevertheless, within a genus the set of MRS was species-specific and reflected the degree of relationship between species. MRS were also found in avian genomes and the degree of their relationship also did not correlate with the evolutionary similarity of the species. The origin and distribution of MRS are discussed.