Application of the RAPD technique for a study of the phylogenetic relationships among eight species of the genus Apodemus

The Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was used to study e volutionary relationships among eight species of wood mice of the genus Apo demus. Examination of genetic variation revealed by the use of ten primers showed a consistent, species-specific pattern. It suggested that RAPD could be used for species identification from alcohol-preserved materials. The R APD data were used for computation of genetic distances, construction of a phylogenetic tree, and estimation of robustness of the tree topology by a b ootstrap method. The topology of the tree was in a good agreement with both a traditional systematic view and previously published results derived mai nly from allozymic studies. The results suggested that populations of "A. m icrops" from central Europe and "A. uralensis" from Asia Minor belong to a single species. In contrast with previous studies our results suggested tha t A. hermonensis was the first diverging lineage within Sylvaemus, whereas A. uralensis and A. sylvaticus were placed in one branch of the Sylvaemus s ubtree.