Abstract:
The Himalayan marmot Marmota himalayana is widely distributed across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and lives in social groups, yet the mating system of this highly social marmot species is unknown. In this study, the genetic mating system of Himalayan marmots was investigated using microsatellite markers to determine which mating strategies individuals employ. Results revealed that both monogamous and polygamous mating relationships occur in our study population, indicating that the genetic mating system of this marmot species is promiscuity. This study presents the first genetic evidence on the mating system for Himalayan marmots, yet indicates that further studies employing both a genetic and behavioral framework are needed to better understand the social structure and reproductive biology of this marmot species.
摘要:
喜马拉雅土拨鼠喜马拉雅山脉广泛分布于青藏高原各地,生活在社会群体中,然而,这种高度社会化的土拨鼠物种的交配系统是未知的。在这项研究中,使用微卫星标记研究了喜马拉雅土拨鼠的遗传交配系统,以确定个体采用的交配策略。结果显示,一夫一妻制和一夫多妻制的交配关系都发生在我们的研究人群中,表明该土拨鼠物种的遗传交配系统是滥交的。这项研究提供了喜马拉雅土拨鼠交配系统的第一个遗传证据,然而,这表明,需要采用遗传和行为框架的进一步研究,以更好地了解这种土拨鼠物种的社会结构和生殖生物学。