Genetic diversity of the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius Pallas, 1771) in the Russian Far East as assessed by RAPD-PCR

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with ten-nucleotide primers of arbitrary sequences (RAPD-PCR) was used to study the genetic characteristics of five samples of the striped field mouse ( Apodemus agrarius Pallas, 1771) from the Russian Far East (Primorye, Khabarovsk krai, and Magadan oblast). Highly significant differentiation of the samples was demonstrated, the genetic diversity of each sample was estimated, and non-neutral loci were found. The genetic diversity was the highest in a population from the outskirts of Magadan and the lowest in populations from an island on the Amur River near Khabarovsk and from the village of Talon (Magadan oblast). These two last populations were found to be genetically close to each other. These results indicate that striped field mice have been repeatedly introduced to Magadan oblast. The Talon population is likely to have originated from the left bank of the Amur; the outskirts of Magadan are inhabited with a mixed population formed by mice from Primorye and other regions.