Low neutral genetic variability in a specialist puffin hunter: the Norwegian Lundehund |
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Authors: | Claudia Melis Åsa A. Borg Ingvild S. Espelien Henrik Jensen |
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Affiliation: | 1. Centre for Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, , 7491 Trondheim, Norway;2. Norwegian Lundehund Club, Breeding Council, , Tangen, 7039 Trondheim, Norway |
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Abstract: | The genetic variability of 125 Norwegian Lundehund and 27 Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever was analysed using a set of 26 microsatellite markers. In Lundehund, the average number of alleles per locus was 1.73, and average observed (HO) and expected (HE) heterozygosity were 0.07. In Toller, all measures of genetic diversity were much higher than in Lundehund and similar to studies on other dog breeds. The cluster analysis correctly assigned individuals to their respective breed. The low genetic variability in Lundehund was not surprising, given the two strong bottlenecks in the 1940s and the 1960s. The relatedness of Lundehund to other Nordic small spitzes should be investigated in the view of possible outcrossing. |
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Keywords: |
Canis familiaris
genetic bottleneck inbreeding Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever puffin dog |
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