Developmental stability of the golden jackal (Canis aureus moreoticus) populations in its expansion range in Bulgaria
The European golden jackal (Canis aureus moreoticus) is widespread in Bulgaria and it was assumed that the species had occupied almost the entire country with less manifested presence in highlands. The general aim of this investigation was to carry out comparative analysis at a population level o...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Plovdiv University Press
2018-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of BioScience and Biotechnology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://editorial.uni-plovdiv.bg/index.php/JBB/article/view/155 |
| Summary: | The European golden jackal (Canis aureus moreoticus) is widespread in Bulgaria
and it was assumed that the species had occupied almost the entire country with less
manifested presence in highlands. The general aim of this investigation was to carry
out comparative analysis at a population level of developmental stability of the
jackal inhabiting in different habitats (POP_1, inhabiting Sakar-Strandzha region,
POP_2 inhabiting the Upper Thracian Plain and POP_3 inhabiting the western part
of the Sub-Balkan valleys), located along the presumable route of the species
movement northwards and westwards in the country. The population levels of
developmental stability were assessed through fluctuating asymmetry determined as
minor non-directional deviations from bilateral symmetry in 10 morphological nonmetric
skull characters. Looking at the fluctuating asymmetry as an indicator of
environmental and genetic stress, there is no evidence of genetic depression by
reproductive isolation in the studied populations. Moreover, there is no indication of
relatively reduced developmental stability in any of the analyzed populations. In
general, the results from the comparative population analysis of the craniological
epigenetic fluctuating asymmetry in Bulgarian golden jackal with regard to the
population developmental stability provided a substantial biological basis for their
interpretation as biomonitor characteristics in a future biological monitoring of this
species in the country. |
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| ISSN: | 1314-6238 1314-6246 |