GENOMIC FINGERPRINTS IN CROW - A STUDY OF THE GENETIC-STRUCTURE OF POPULATIONS OF THE HYBRID ZONE

The genomic fingerprinting of hooded and carrion crows and their natur al hybrids from the Siberian zone of overlapping and hybridization, as well as two ''pure'' populations of hooded crow, was performed. A hyp ervariable sequence of DNA of M13 phage was used as a probe. A high po lymorphism was found with respect to number, position, and intensity o f the hybridization bands, especially in the high-molecular spectral r egion (4 - 20 kb). The UPGMA dendrograms were constructed on the basis of the coefficients of difference, D. The positions of individuals in these dendrograms can be interpreted in the majority of cases. Howeve r, no species-specific markers were found; this is likely to be accoun ted for by the evolutionary proximity of these forms. It was confirmed that the hybrid population had a single gene pool, notwithstanding so me mating assortment.