Although genetic diversity and phylogenetic status of the gray hamster (Cricetulus migratorius) have been investigated from different regions in previous studies, genetic data on this species from Turkey are still lacking, since previous data have been based on a limited number of gray hamsters sampled across the Anatolian part of Turkey. The aim of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of the Anatolian population and to reveal the phylogenetic relationships among the Anatolian population and conspecific populations of the gray hamster. The complete and partial fragments of mitochondrial Cyt b and 12S rRNA from the 20 Turkish samples were amplified and sequenced. Ten 12S rRNA (901 bp) and 15 Cyt b (1140 bp) haplotypes found in this work were not previously reported. Based on Bayesian, Maximum Likelihood, Neighbour-Joining and Median-Joining network analyses by using mitochondrial data under the name Cricetulus, the results of phylogenetic and network analyses indicated that there was a deep separation among the distinct lineages within the genus Cricetulus. When considering the position of the Turkish haplotypes in median joining network, the Anatolian part of Turkey may have hosted a source population of the gray hamster for expansion to adjacent regions in the past period. Additionally, the Anatolian population of gray hamster had relatively high haplotype diversity and the present study propounded the importance of data obtained from the Anatolian population of gray hamster to reveal the phylogenetic relationships among conspecific populations of the gray hamster.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the degree of genetic variation and divergence by cellulose acetate gel electrophoresis between samples of Cricetulus migratorius, a cricetine rodent distributed in the Asian part (Anatolia) of Turkey. Out of twenty allozyme loci scored for fifteen enzyme systems, eleven loci were detected to be polymorphic in at least one locality of the Turkish C. migratorius. Indices of genetic variability (the percentage of polymorphic loci, mean number of alleles per locus, and mean observed and expected heterozygosities) were found to be P(95%) = 28, A = 1.3, Ho = 0.226 and He = 0.218, respectively. Nei’s unbiased genetic distances ranged from 0.000 to 0.153, with an average value of 0.069. The mean gene flow was calculated to be Nm = 0.7484. This is a preliminary study describing the allozymic variations of C. migratorius from Turkey. As there are no extensive data on the allozymic variations of C. migratorius from other regions, our results could not be compared, in detail with those of other populations of the species C. migratorius

The present study was focused on both the new distributional records and karyological data for Arvicola amphibius from the European part of Turkey. The karyotype of the Eurasian water vole was investigated by examining its metaphase chromosomes. The diploid number of chromosomes (2n), the fundamental number of chromosomal arms (FN) and the number of autosomal arms (FNa) were found to be 36, 64 and 60, respectively, for one female individual from a single locality in the European part of Turkey. It was determined that A. amphibius has 2n = 36 chromosomes, consisting of seven metacentric, three submetacentric, three subtelocentric and four acrocentric chromosome pairs. The X chromosome was a large submetacentric. The present study confirmed the previous results with regard to 2n. However, comparison of our findings with those of other authors indicates that there are karyotypic differences among the chromosomes. These differences were related to the morphology of chromosomes. Additionally, we reported external and skull measurements and new distributional records from six localities for the Turkish water vole. The measurements presented in this study conform to those of samples examined by other authors