European wolves (Canis lupus) show population genetic structure in the absence of geographic barriers, and across relatively short distances for this highly mobile species. Additional information on the location of and divergence between population clusters is required, particularly because wolves are currently recolonizing parts of Europe. We evaluated genetic structure in 177 wolves from 11 countries using over 67K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci. The results supported previous findings of an isolated Italian population with lower genetic diversity than that observed across other areas of Europe. Wolves from the remaining countries were primarily structured in a north-south axis, with Croatia, Bulgaria, and Greece (Dinaric-Balkan) differentiated from northcentral wolves that included individuals from Finland, Latvia, Belarus, Poland and Russia. Carpathian Mountain wolves in central Europe had genotypes intermediate between those identified in northcentral Europe and the Dinaric-Balkan cluster. Overall, individual genotypes from northcentral Europe suggested high levels of admixture. We observed high diversity within Belarus, with wolves from western and northern Belarus representing the two most differentiated groups within northcentral Europe. Our results support the presence of at least three major clusters (Italy, Carpathians, Dinaric-Balkan) in southern and central Europe. Individuals from Croatia also appeared differentiated from wolves in Greece and Bulgaria. Expansion from glacial refugia, adaptation to local environments, and human-related factors such as landscape fragmentation and frequent killing of wolves in some areas may have contributed to the observed patterns. Our findings can help inform conservation management of these apex predators and the ecosystems of which they are part.

Carnivores tend to exhibit a lack of (or less pronounced) genetic structure at continental scales in both a geographic and temporal sense using various mitochondrial DNA markers on modern and/or ancient specimens. This tends to confound the identification of refugial areas and post-glacial colonization patterns in this group. In this study we used Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) to reconstruct the phylogeographic history of a widespread carnivore, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), in Europe by investigating broad-scale patterns of genomic variation, differentiation and admixture amongst contemporary populations. Using 15,003 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 524 individuals allowed us to identify the importance of refugial regions for the red fox in terms of endemism (e.g. Iberia) and sources of post-glacial re-expansion (e.g. Carpathians and Balkans) across northern regions of the continent. In addition, we tested multiple post-glacial re-colonization scenarios of previously glaciated regions during the Last Glacial Maximum using an Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) approach. We identified the role of ancient and temporary land-bridges in the colonization of Scandinavia and the British Isles, with a natural colonization of Ireland deemed more likely than an ancient human-mediated introduction as has previously been proposed. Using genome-wide data has allowed us to tease apart broad-scale patterns of structure and diversity in a widespread carnivore in Europe that was not always evident from using more limited marker sets.

Carnivores tend to exhibit a lack of (or less pronounced) genetic structure at continental scales in both a geographic and temporal sense and this can confound the identification of post-glacial colonization patterns in this group. In this study we used genome-wide data (using genotyping by sequencing [GBS]) to reconstruct the phylo-

No abstract

. 1999. The record of the reproductive cycle in the incisor dentine of spotted souslik Spermophilus suslicus. Acta Theriologica 44: 161-171.To examine the changes in dentine microstructure in spotted souslik Spermophilus suslicus (Giildenstaedt, 1770) during pregnancy, parturition and lactation, we investigated 39 females from the Odessa region. Thirty females were dead-trapped in March--July, 1987-1997, nine females (lactating or pregnant) were caught in April, 1996, injected with tetracycline as a time marker and kept in captivity during 14-47 days. Their litters survived from 1 to 29 days. We analyzed cross stained sections as well as cross ground sections of upper incisors. In the lactating sousliks both in nature and in captivity the daily layers formed in the course of pregnancy were followed by formation of a specific dentine pattern. The pattern consisted of alternating contrastive hypochromatic and hyperchromatic bands of about 30-50 ¡.i wide. The beginning of the pattern formation coincided approximately with parturition and the formation continued during lactation. Therefore, the parturition-lactation zone could be the correct name for the pattern. In captured females no correlation between the duration of the pattern formation and the lifespan of their litters was found. The pattern was absent in immature and barren females. We found no changes in the dentine formation during pregnancy.