<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> This study was designed to determine the degree of genetic distinctiveness between farmed and  wild foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Analysis of polymorphism in 16 microsatellite sequences led to the  conclusion that red foxes raised on Polish farms and wild foxes living in Poland are two groups  of genetically distinct animals. Farmed Polish foxes are genetically more similar to the population  of wild animals from North America than they are to the free-living population in Poland,  as confirmed by the fact that the farmed animals are descended from animals raised in Canada.</p><p> The small genetic distance between wild Canadian foxes (indicated as the progenitor of farmed  Polish foxes) and farmed Polish foxes possibly suggests that the differences between the farmed  and wild Polish populations may result from the fact that Canadian and Polish foxes took separate evolutionary paths<bold>.</bold></p></abstract>

This study was designed to determine the degree of genetic distinctiveness between farmed and  wild foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Analysis of polymorphism in 16 microsatellite sequences led to the  conclusion that red foxes raised on Polish farms and wild foxes living in Poland are two groups  of genetically distinct animals. Farmed Polish foxes are genetically more similar to the population  of wild animals from North America than they are to the free-living population in Poland,  as confirmed by the fact that the farmed animals are descended from animals raised in Canada. The small genetic distance between wild Canadian foxes (indicated as the progenitor of farmed  Polish foxes) and farmed Polish foxes possibly suggests that the differences between the farmed  and wild Polish populations may result from the fact that Canadian and Polish foxes took separate evolutionary paths.

Genetic variability of farmed and free-living populations of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Department of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland

Laboratory of Genomics, National Research Institute of Animal Production, 32-083 Balice n. Kraków, Poland

Department of Genetics, University of Rzeszów, Rejtana 16 C, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland

Annals of Animal Science

This study was designed to determine the degree of genetic distinctiveness between farmed and  wild foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Analysis of polymorphism in 16...

Genetic variability of farmed and free-living populations of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Published Online: Nov 09, 2012

Page range: 501 - 512

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10220-012-0042-2

Keywords
Vulpes vulpes, wild and farmed animals, microsatellites, domestication

This content is open access.

Genetic variability of farmed and free-living populations of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Published Online: Nov 09, 2012

Page range: 501 - 512

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10220-012-0042-2

KeywordsVulpes vulpes, wild and farmed animals, microsatellites, domestication

This content is open access.

Keywords
Vulpes vulpes, wild and farmed animals, microsatellites, domestication