GENETIC-VARIABILITY IN CANTABRIAN CHAMOIS (RAPICAPRA-PYRENAICA PARVA CABRERA, 1910)

Genetic variation ih 177 Cantabrian chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica parva ) from six sampling areas (Cantabrian Mountains, North of Spain) was e xamined by means of horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. Nineteen en zyme systems were screened in liver and muscle samples, representing a total of 37 presumptive structural loci. Four loci were polymorphic i n at least one of the study areas (EST-3: ME, MPI and PT-2). Genetic v ariability within local samples was low (P = 0.08 and H-e = 0.02). No relevant differences in allele frequencies among these samples were de tected, and relatively high gene flow between geographically apparentl y isolated populations was found (Fst = 0.072 and D between 0.000 and 0.007). These results are discussed with regard to variation of other chamois subspecies.