Gn. Chelomina et al., Genetic differentiation of Caucasian wood mice: Comparison of isozymic, chromosomal and molecular divergence, GENETIKA, 34(2), 1998, pp. 213-225
Data on the complex genetic analysis of three sympatric species of Caucasia
n wood mice, Apodemus ponticus, A. fulvipectus, and A. uralensis are presen
ted. A high degree of genetic differentiation at the isozymic, karyological
and molecular (nuclear DNA) levels was revealed. The genetic distances bet
ween each pair of species varied significantly within a wide range dependin
g an the analyzed level of the organization of genetic material. Mean value
s of genetic divergence from one species to another were also variable. The
se findings indicated that evolution of chromosomes was slower than that of
isozymes, and the degree of species divergence was similar on cytogenetic
and molecular levels. They also suggested that the rates of species evoluti
on could vary in different phyletic lineages and on different levels of org
anization. Some phyletic lineages of Apodemus could be distinguished by dif
ferent directions of evolution.