A distinctive locus among three Passer species inferred from allozyme data

Abstract

This study was conducted on three of the four Passer species found in Turkey. The aim of this study was to determine the genetic variations and genetic differentiations of Passer subpopulations in Turkey. The population genetics of Passer domesticus, P. montanus and P. hispaniolensis were studied according to variations at allozymic loci. The allozyme variations at 23 loci were examined, among which Ca, Ck, Est, Idh-s and Idh-m were found to be polymorphic. The Passer subpopulations were separated into three main groups in a tree. Group I consisted mostly of subpopulations from Black Sea and Aegean regions, with P. domesticus and P. hispaniolensis subpopulations nested in the first part of the group. Group II was formed by Central Anatolian and Mediterranean P. domesticus subpopulations. Group III consisted only of subpopulations of P. montanus. Furthermore, G3pdh-2 was identified as a distinctive locus that separated P. montanus from the other species.