Population genetic structure of European wildcats inhabiting the area between the Dinaric Alps and the Scardo-Pindic mountains

Abstract

Habitat fragmentation and loss have contributed significantly to the demographic decline of European wildcat populations and hybridization with domestic cats poses a threat to the loss of genetic purity of the species. In this study we used microsatellite markers to analyse genetic variation and structure of the wildcat populations from the area between the Dinaric Alps and the Scardo-Pindic mountains in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and North Macedonia. We also investigated hybridisation between populations of wildcats and domestic cats in the area. One hundred and thirteen samples from free-leaving European wildcats and thirty-two samples from domestic cats were analysed. Allelic richness across populations ranged from 3.61 to 3.98. The observed Ho values ranged between 0.57 and 0.71. The global FST value for the four populations was 0.080 (95% CI 0.056–0.109) and differed significantly from zero (P < 0.001). The highest FST value was observed between the populations North Macedonia and Slovenia and the lowest between Slovenia and Croatia. We also found a signal for the existence of isolation by distance between populations. Our results showed that wildcats are divided in two genetic clusters largely consistent with a geographic division into a genetically diverse northern group (Slovenia, Croatia) and genetically eroded south-eastern group (Serbia, N. Macedonia). Hybridisation rate between wildcats and domestic cats varied between 13% and 52% across the regions.

Molecular epidemiological study on ticks and tick-borne protozoan parasites (Apicomplexa: Cytauxzoon and Hepatozoon spp.) from wild cats (Felis silvestris), Mustelidae and red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in central Europe, Hungary

“…This is in line with the proposed role of Haemaphysalis ticks in the transmission of certain Hepatozoon species [ 23 , 24 ]. In particular, the possibility that H. concinna may play a vector role in the transmission of H. martis has already been mentioned in the context of unpublished previous data [ 10 ], and this is confirmed by the present results. It is noteworthy that only nymphs were found to be PCR-positive from a large set of various tick stages, indicating that in the case of transstadial transmission characteristic of Hepatozoon spp.…”

“…More recently, an isolated case of clinical infection has also been reported in a domestic cat from eastern Austria, the country neighboring western Hungary [ 34 ], and imported cases have also been reported in Germany [ 16 ]. Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, we report here the first case of autochthonous H. felis infection in wild cats north of the Mediterranean Basin (previously reported in Bosnia and Herzegovina [ 10 ]).…”

“…Importantly, mustelids are frequently kept in captivity as household pets [ 9 ] and may become tick-infested when they are walked, increasing the significance of knowledge on their tick-borne pathogens. Another important carnivore that is associated with rural and peri-urban habitats is the European wild cat ( Felis silvestris ), which is the most common wild felid species in Europe [ 10 ]. There is evidence that F. silvestris populations are hybridizing with domestic cats [ 10 ], reflecting interactions between wild and domestic feline hosts and implying that there are opportunities for ticks and tick-borne pathogens to cross between them.…”

Zoonotic ecotype-I of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in sympatric wildcat, pine marten and red squirrel – Short communication

“…In addition, the Eurasian red squirrel was reported to harbour both ecotypes I and II in Western Europe (Belgium: Ruyts et al, 2017), ecotypes I, II and IV in Central Europe (Czech Republic: Lesiczka et al, 2021) and here it was identified for the first time as the host of ecotype-I in Hungary. Since all three host species of the zoonotic ecotype of A. phagocytophilum are well known for their urban or peri-urban presence (Fingland et al, 2021;Urzi et al, 2021;Wereszczuk et al, 2021), these results verify their role in the synanthropic enzootic cycle and epidemiology of granulocytic anaplasmosis and tick-borne fever.…”