RT Journal Article T1 Mitochondrial DNA sequence variability in red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa, Spanish populations and the origins of genetic contamination from A. chukar A1 Martinez-Fresno, María A1 Henriques-Gil, Nuno A1 Arana Montes, María Del Pilar De AB 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. PB Springer SN 1566-0621 YR 2007 FD 2007 LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/93370 UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/93370 LA eng NO Martínez-Fresno, M., Henriques-Gil, N., & Arana, P. (2008). Mitochondrial DNA sequence variability in red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa, Spanish populations and the origins of genetic contamination from A. chukar. Conservation Genetics, 9, 1223-1231. NO Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (España) DS Docta Complutense RD 20 abr 2025