Detecting the hybridization between species is important for evolutionary studies of speciation p... more Detecting the hybridization between species is important for evolutionary studies of speciation processes, conservation biology and management, but we still lack a general empirical perspective of hybridization problems in canids. Hybridization may occur between many species of the canid family, sometimes threatening the survival of endangered species or populations. Mitochondrial DNA control region haplotypes can be used to discriminate between Croatian wolves, dogs and jackals, and the goal of our research was to identify species specifi c Y chromosome haplotypes that could be used in detection of paternal origin in possible hybrids. We analyzed three non-overlapping Y chromosome fragments of the grey wolf, golden jackal and dog in the total length of 1,898 base pairs. Two haplotypes were identifi ed, one shared among grey wolf and dog, and one specifi c golden jackal haplotype. We did not fi nd polymorphic sites that could be used to distinguish the paternal line in wolf - dog hy...
The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) contains genes that play a major role in immune system... more The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) contains genes that play a major role in immune system of vertebrates. This genomic region encodes cell-surface proteins that bind antigens derived from various pathogens and present them to T-cell lymphocytes which trigger the appropriate immune response. Some MHC genes are the most variable coding genes of the mammalian genomes and their variability reflects adaptive processes in a population, interactions with pathogens and the population ability to confront them. Wild boar is considered one of the most widespread species. As a host of many parasites, it is a suitable species for testing the correlation between MHC haplotypes and susceptibility to diseases. The goal of this study was to investigate immunogenic variability of MHC class II DRB1 gene in wild boar (n=49) from Medvednica NP. Extraction of DNA was performed from muscle samples using commercial kit. Polymerase chain reactions were used to amplify the exon 2 of DRB1 locus. This ...
Abstract Species range expansions and (re)colonization of landscapes variously dominated by human... more Abstract Species range expansions and (re)colonization of landscapes variously dominated by humans occur on a global scale. Understanding such range enlargements and subsequent changes in the composition of ecological communities is important for conservation management, and the golden jackal (Canis aureus) can be considered a model species for regional and continental range expansion. Although this mesopredator has been known from the Adriatic Coast of southeastern Europe for over 500 years, the species is a recent arrival further north, including in Slovenia where jackals were first confirmed in the 1950s. Research from eastern Italy found jackals with ancestry from the Dalmatian region on the Adriatic Coast and the Pannonian region further east. We predicted similar ancestry for Slovenian jackals, and examined samples from Croatia, including Dalmatia and interior regions, Serbia, Hungary, and Slovenia with 25 microsatellite markers to determine population genetic structure. We detected two distinct genetic clusters, representing the Dalmatian and Balkan-Pannonian (Pannonian) jackal populations (FST = 0.157, 95% CI: 0.112–0.209). Contrary to expectations, only few individuals in Slovenia exhibited signs of Dalmatian ancestry, and none appeared to be direct immigrants. Some results suggested a third cluster centered in northern Hungary. These divergent profiles might indicate immigration from outside the study area, and samples from regions further east are required for additional resolution. Based on our results, we hypothesize that Dalmatia has not been a substantial source for recent range expansion of the species, which has likely occurred from the east. Further investigation can help resolve the ancestry and current distribution of the Dalmatian and Pannonian populations, and the ecological relationships resulting from progressively overlapping distributions of canid species. Finally, genomic research could illuminate whether genetic variants from eastern areas might have facilitated jackal expansion into regions characterized by a colder climate, the presence of snow, and extensive forest cover; habitats seemingly avoided by the jackals occupying the Adriatic Coast and surrounding areas in southeastern Europe.
The aoudad (Ammotragus lervia Pallas 1777) is an ungulate species, native to the mountain ranges ... more The aoudad (Ammotragus lervia Pallas 1777) is an ungulate species, native to the mountain ranges of North Africa. In the second half of the twentieth century, it was successfully introduced in some European countries, mainly for hunting purposes, i.e. in Croatia, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Spain. We used neutral genetic markers, the mitochondrial DNA control region sequence and microsatellite loci, to characterize and compare genetic diversity and spatial pattern of genetic structure on different timeframes among all European aoudad populations. Four distinct control region haplotypes found in European aoudad populations indicate that the aoudad has been introduced in Europe from multiple genetic sources, with the population in the Sierra Espuña as the only population in which more than one haplotype was detected. The number of detected microsatellite alleles within all populations (< 3.61) and mean proportion of shared alleles within all analysed populations (< 0.55) indi...
The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatits) is a cetacean distributed worldwide with an external... more The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatits) is a cetacean distributed worldwide with an external morphology that varies between different populations. An endangered population of bottlenose dolphins inhabits the Adriatic Sea and is legally protected. The skulls of 95 adult bottlenose dolphins (47 females and 43 males, 5 of unknown sex) were morphometrically analyzed. They originated from bottlenose dolphins stranded dead from 1990 to 2011 in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea. For each animal a total of up to 53 skull measurements and meristic characters were taken using slide calipers to the nearest 0.01 cm. Sexual dimorphism within the Adriatic population was analyzed while the average morphometric values of Adriatic specimens were compared with published values for the genus Tursiops from different geographical areas. Male Adriatic bottlenose dolphins were significantly larger in terms of 19 craniometric characteristics compared to females. The male skull is wider along the r...
Introduction-human induced mortality can impact the population dynamics of small or localized cet... more Introduction-human induced mortality can impact the population dynamics of small or localized cetacean populations-bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)-only resident cetacean species in the Adriatic Sea-estimated population size: 250 animals
The Posavina and Croatian Coldblood are Croatian autochthonous horse breeds with interwoven breed... more The Posavina and Croatian Coldblood are Croatian autochthonous horse breeds with interwoven breeding histories for which studbooks have only recently been established. The Lipizzan breed has the oldest formalized breeding and no record of recent genetic introgression from other breeds in Croatia. We analyzed the genetic structure, interbreeding, and breed characteristics by genotyping nine dinucleotide microsatellite loci for 53 Posavina, 37 Croatian Coldblood, and 33 Lipizzan horses and showed that differing breeding schemes and histories have had a strong and measurable impact on the population genetic structure within and between the three breeds. A Bayesian clustering method demonstrated that two population clusters best explain the genetic structure. Samples from the pre-defined breeds of the Posavina and Croatian Coldblood were assigned to a separate genetic cluster, while Lipizzan specimens were assigned to another distinct genetic group. Twelve samples of the Posavina/Croati...
Detecting the hybridization between species is important for evolutionary studies of speciation p... more Detecting the hybridization between species is important for evolutionary studies of speciation processes, conservation biology and management, but we still lack a general empirical perspective of hybridization problems in canids. Hybridization may occur between many species of the canid family, sometimes threatening the survival of endangered species or populations. Mitochondrial DNA control region haplotypes can be used to discriminate between Croatian wolves, dogs and jackals, and the goal of our research was to identify species specifi c Y chromosome haplotypes that could be used in detection of paternal origin in possible hybrids. We analyzed three non-overlapping Y chromosome fragments of the grey wolf, golden jackal and dog in the total length of 1,898 base pairs. Two haplotypes were identifi ed, one shared among grey wolf and dog, and one specifi c golden jackal haplotype. We did not fi nd polymorphic sites that could be used to distinguish the paternal line in wolf - dog hy...
The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) contains genes that play a major role in immune system... more The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) contains genes that play a major role in immune system of vertebrates. This genomic region encodes cell-surface proteins that bind antigens derived from various pathogens and present them to T-cell lymphocytes which trigger the appropriate immune response. Some MHC genes are the most variable coding genes of the mammalian genomes and their variability reflects adaptive processes in a population, interactions with pathogens and the population ability to confront them. Wild boar is considered one of the most widespread species. As a host of many parasites, it is a suitable species for testing the correlation between MHC haplotypes and susceptibility to diseases. The goal of this study was to investigate immunogenic variability of MHC class II DRB1 gene in wild boar (n=49) from Medvednica NP. Extraction of DNA was performed from muscle samples using commercial kit. Polymerase chain reactions were used to amplify the exon 2 of DRB1 locus. This ...
Abstract Species range expansions and (re)colonization of landscapes variously dominated by human... more Abstract Species range expansions and (re)colonization of landscapes variously dominated by humans occur on a global scale. Understanding such range enlargements and subsequent changes in the composition of ecological communities is important for conservation management, and the golden jackal (Canis aureus) can be considered a model species for regional and continental range expansion. Although this mesopredator has been known from the Adriatic Coast of southeastern Europe for over 500 years, the species is a recent arrival further north, including in Slovenia where jackals were first confirmed in the 1950s. Research from eastern Italy found jackals with ancestry from the Dalmatian region on the Adriatic Coast and the Pannonian region further east. We predicted similar ancestry for Slovenian jackals, and examined samples from Croatia, including Dalmatia and interior regions, Serbia, Hungary, and Slovenia with 25 microsatellite markers to determine population genetic structure. We detected two distinct genetic clusters, representing the Dalmatian and Balkan-Pannonian (Pannonian) jackal populations (FST = 0.157, 95% CI: 0.112–0.209). Contrary to expectations, only few individuals in Slovenia exhibited signs of Dalmatian ancestry, and none appeared to be direct immigrants. Some results suggested a third cluster centered in northern Hungary. These divergent profiles might indicate immigration from outside the study area, and samples from regions further east are required for additional resolution. Based on our results, we hypothesize that Dalmatia has not been a substantial source for recent range expansion of the species, which has likely occurred from the east. Further investigation can help resolve the ancestry and current distribution of the Dalmatian and Pannonian populations, and the ecological relationships resulting from progressively overlapping distributions of canid species. Finally, genomic research could illuminate whether genetic variants from eastern areas might have facilitated jackal expansion into regions characterized by a colder climate, the presence of snow, and extensive forest cover; habitats seemingly avoided by the jackals occupying the Adriatic Coast and surrounding areas in southeastern Europe.
The aoudad (Ammotragus lervia Pallas 1777) is an ungulate species, native to the mountain ranges ... more The aoudad (Ammotragus lervia Pallas 1777) is an ungulate species, native to the mountain ranges of North Africa. In the second half of the twentieth century, it was successfully introduced in some European countries, mainly for hunting purposes, i.e. in Croatia, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Spain. We used neutral genetic markers, the mitochondrial DNA control region sequence and microsatellite loci, to characterize and compare genetic diversity and spatial pattern of genetic structure on different timeframes among all European aoudad populations. Four distinct control region haplotypes found in European aoudad populations indicate that the aoudad has been introduced in Europe from multiple genetic sources, with the population in the Sierra Espuña as the only population in which more than one haplotype was detected. The number of detected microsatellite alleles within all populations (< 3.61) and mean proportion of shared alleles within all analysed populations (< 0.55) indi...
The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatits) is a cetacean distributed worldwide with an external... more The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatits) is a cetacean distributed worldwide with an external morphology that varies between different populations. An endangered population of bottlenose dolphins inhabits the Adriatic Sea and is legally protected. The skulls of 95 adult bottlenose dolphins (47 females and 43 males, 5 of unknown sex) were morphometrically analyzed. They originated from bottlenose dolphins stranded dead from 1990 to 2011 in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea. For each animal a total of up to 53 skull measurements and meristic characters were taken using slide calipers to the nearest 0.01 cm. Sexual dimorphism within the Adriatic population was analyzed while the average morphometric values of Adriatic specimens were compared with published values for the genus Tursiops from different geographical areas. Male Adriatic bottlenose dolphins were significantly larger in terms of 19 craniometric characteristics compared to females. The male skull is wider along the r...
Introduction-human induced mortality can impact the population dynamics of small or localized cet... more Introduction-human induced mortality can impact the population dynamics of small or localized cetacean populations-bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)-only resident cetacean species in the Adriatic Sea-estimated population size: 250 animals
The Posavina and Croatian Coldblood are Croatian autochthonous horse breeds with interwoven breed... more The Posavina and Croatian Coldblood are Croatian autochthonous horse breeds with interwoven breeding histories for which studbooks have only recently been established. The Lipizzan breed has the oldest formalized breeding and no record of recent genetic introgression from other breeds in Croatia. We analyzed the genetic structure, interbreeding, and breed characteristics by genotyping nine dinucleotide microsatellite loci for 53 Posavina, 37 Croatian Coldblood, and 33 Lipizzan horses and showed that differing breeding schemes and histories have had a strong and measurable impact on the population genetic structure within and between the three breeds. A Bayesian clustering method demonstrated that two population clusters best explain the genetic structure. Samples from the pre-defined breeds of the Posavina and Croatian Coldblood were assigned to a separate genetic cluster, while Lipizzan specimens were assigned to another distinct genetic group. Twelve samples of the Posavina/Croati...
Uploads