Mitochondrial DNA sequence variability in red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa, Spanish populations and the origins of genetic contamination from A. chukar

Abstract

The analysis of 135 mitochondrial D-loop sequences of the Iberian autochthonous red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) from wild population hunting bags from various locations and fowl runs in Spain yielded 37 different haplotypes. Among these, three haplotypes correspond to chukar partridges (Alectoris chukar), indicating genetic introgression from birds illegally introduced for restocking: three individuals carrying such haplotypes where found in natural populations, one appeared among those sampled on a mass reproduction farm and the remaining 10 in another fowl-run. The geographical origin of the contaminating chukar haplotypes could be assigned to the most easterly area of the chukar partridge geographical distribution in China. Molecular diversity parameters in the A. rufa samples indicate a considerable amount of genetic variation. FST showed significant differences among populations that are not explained by geographical distance alone. Particularly, one northern population (Palencia) shows a certain degree of genetic differentiation that could reflect a previously suggested subspecies division.