The mating system of Himalayan marmots as inferred by microsatellite markers

Abstract

The Himalayan marmot Marmota himalayana is widely distributed across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and lives in social groups, yet the mating system of this highly social marmot species is unknown. In this study, the genetic mating system of Himalayan marmots was investigated using microsatellite markers to determine which mating strategies individuals employ. Results revealed that both monogamous and polygamous mating relationships occur in our study population, indicating that the genetic mating system of this marmot species is promiscuity. This study presents the first genetic evidence on the mating system for Himalayan marmots, yet indicates that further studies employing both a genetic and behavioral framework are needed to better understand the social structure and reproductive biology of this marmot species.

Relatedness dynamics and sex-biased dispersal in a seasonal cycle of corn mice from intensively managed agroecosystems

“…All loci showed low frequency for null alleles between 4% and 19% ( Table S2c ). The frequency of null alleles was not greater than reported in other studies to estimate relatedness ( Sommaro et al 2015 ; Chen et al 2022 ; Martella et al 2022 ). In addition, Dakin and Avise (2004) showed that the presence of null alleles in frequencies lower than 20% does not cause any significant bias or error in parentage analyses.…”