RAPID (RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA) FINGERPRINTING ANALYSIS OF SOME ITALIAN POPULATIONS OF FALLOW DEER DAMA-DAMA

The present paper deals with the genetic relationships between the two oldest Italian fallow deer populations (Castelporziano and San Rossor e) in order to investigate their origin, and to verify their status an d variability in the light of the generic consequences of human select ion through historical times. The analysis, performed using the RAPD f ingerprinting technique, confirms the low variability of the San Rosso re fallow deer, and reveals the Castelporziano population characterise d by an unexpected higher rate of variability.