GENETIC-VARIATION AND POPULATION-STRUCTURE OF THE JAPANESE SIKA-DEER (CERVUS-NIPPON) IN HOKKAIDO ISLAND, BASED ON MITOCHONDRIAL D-LOOP SEQUENCES

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop region sequences (602 bp) from 141 sa mples of the sika deer Cervus nippon collected from Hokkaido Island of Japan were investigated to elucidate population genetic structure. Al l animals possessed seven repeat units (38 or 39 by each) in the seque nces. Comparison of the 602-bp sequences showed four sites of transiti onal mutations (A <----> G or C <----> T). Based on combination of the substitutions, six D-loop haplotypes (a-f types) were identified in t he Hokkaido population, suggesting the occurrence of at least six mate rnal lineages. Distribution maps of the haplotypes constructed using t he Geographic Information System showed that the distribution patterns differed from haplotype to haplotype. In particular, distribution of the major three types (a-, b-, and c-types) almost overlapped with thr ee main areas of coniferous forests in Hokkaido. These results suggest that expansion of the sika deer population could have occurred throug h the habitat of coniferous forests after the historical bottleneck in Hokkaido.