Genetic variability and population differentiation in captive baird’s Tapirs (Tapirus bairdii)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20031.abs The objectives of this study were to assess the level of genetic variability and population differentiation within captive populations of an endangered large mammal, Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii). We genotyped 37 captive animals from North American (NA) and Central American (CA) zoos and conservation ranches using six polymorphic microsatellite loci. Standard indices of […]
Molecular and immunogenetic analysis of major histocompatibility haplotypes in northern bobwhite enable direct identification of corresponding haplotypes in an endangered subspecies, the masked bobwhite
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1999)18:43.3.CO;2-Q The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a group of genetic loci coding for haplotypes that have been associated with fitness traits in mammals and birds. Such associations suggest that MHC diversity may be an indicator of overall genetic fitness of endangered or threatened species. The MHC haplotypes of a captive population of 12 […]
Simple method for calculating confidence limits around inbreeding rate and effective population size estimates from pedigrees
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430100305.abs An important concept in population genetics is effective population size (Ne), which describes the expected rate of loss of genetic variability from a population. One way to estimate Ne is using a pedigree. However, there are no methods for comparing the Ne estimated from a pedigree with that expected from life-history models. In […]
Comparison of an exact and a simulation method for calculating gene extinction probabilities in pedigrees
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430090402.abs A comparison is made between a much used simulation method, commonly called gene dropping, and the exact computational technique of peeling. These methods are illustrated using the problem of finding the distribution of the number of distinct ancestral genes surviving at an autosomal locus. Each method is used on several real zoo pedigrees, […]
May captive populations of Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) act as genetic reservoirs in Argentina?
The Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) is a characteristic bird of the Argentine Pampas. Despite the increasing farming interest of this ratite, their natural populations are progressively decreasing in size and range. The object of this study was to evaluate the status of captive populations as potential genetic reservoirs. Using Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats as molecular markers, […]
Comparison of the genetic variation of captive ring-tailed lemurs with a wild population in Madagascar
Genetic variability among captive and wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) was assessed using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data. A 529 bp segment of mtDNA was sequenced and 9 microsatellite loci were genotyped for 286 ring-tailed lemurs. Samples were obtained from the well-studied L. catta population at the Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve and from captive animals at […]