Lack of genetic structure of Cypriot Alectoris chukar (Aves, Galliformes) populations as inferred from mtDNA sequencing data

The Chukar (Alectoris chukar cypriotes) is the most common game bird in Cyprus. Since 1990 the Cypriot Government has established a restocking program with captive–reared birds. However, this program has not been guaranteed by checking the genetic nature of wild and farmed samples, either in the areas controlled by the Cypriot Government or in northern Cyprus. The sequencing of both Cytochrome–b and Control Region of the mitochondrial DNA was carried out for 61 Cypriot representatives and 14 specimens of the same subspecies from Crete and Israel. Only the A. chukar maternal lineage was found. A partitioning of Cypriot specimens among different clades was not reliably supported, whereas robust bootstrap values weighted for an evolutionary divergence between Cypriot and Cretan Chukars. An overall genetic homogeny of the Cypriot populations was disclosed, whatever their status (captive vs. wild stocks) and origin (Government controlled vs. occupied areas) would be, a higher nucleotide diversity of the wild vs. captive representatives notwithstanding.

Key words: Chukar, Control Region, Cytochrome–b, Genetic diversity, mtDNA, Partridges.