Genetic variability within the Polish population of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) - preliminary results

Abstract

Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) represents family Canidae and is a very common predator in Poland. Foxes are present throughout all the country in a different geographical regions and habitats. The analyzed dataset consisted of 133 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). There were 24 microsatellite sequences studied. The observed (H O ) and expected (H S ) heterozygosities were comparable within respective loci. H O per locus ranged from 0.2135 to 0.9146 and H S ranged from 0.2375 to 0.9711. The low genetic diversity of the population was found. There were four genetic subpopulations and one genetically distant individual found basing on genetic distances and PCoA analysis.