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Genetic variability in the Arabian oryx ( Oryx leucoryx )
Author(s) -
Vassart Marc,
Granjon Laurent,
Greth Arnaud
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
zoo biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.5
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1098-2361
pISSN - 0733-3188
DOI - 10.1002/zoo.1430100503
Subject(s) - oryx , biology , loss of heterozygosity , herd , zoology , veterinary medicine , genetics , ecology , allele , gene , medicine
An electrophoretic survey of blood markers of the Arabian oryx ( Oryx leucoryx ) was undertaken in order to ascertain the genetic variability in a sample of 85 individuals, mainly from Saudi Arabian (Taíf) and Jordanian herds. Three out of 18 loci were found to be polymorphic (P = 16.7%) and the mean heterozygosity ( H = 0.052) appears to be relatively high with respect to the severe demographic bottlenecks expressed by the species since the 1960s. No genetic differentiation was found between Arabian and Jordanian samples considered. Consequences of these findings for the management of the Taíf herd and for such procedures as pedigree determination are discussed, and an example of this latter application is given for a case of doubtful parentage.