DNA polymorphism of the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), fat dormouse (Glis glis), hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) in RAPD method

Abstract

Four species of dormice occur in Lithuania. M. avellanarius is widely distributed across almost all of Lithuania and lives in mixed and deciduous forests. At present, G. glis is known to occur at nine localities in Lithuania, mostly situated along the valleys of the two biggest Lithuanian rivers, Nemunas and Neris, and their tributaries. Extinction of G. glis from some localities has occurred due to the felling of oak-woods and mature forests containing old oak-trees.The Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) can be found throughout the forests of Europe and northern Asia. Genetic diversity of 3 dormouse from Lithuania and 2 red squirrel from Finland and Norway was examined using a random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method. Ten random primers were used for amplification. Reproducible amlification patterns were obtained using six primers. In total 44 amplification patterns were generated during analyses.