Role of invasions in formation of phylogeographic structure of house mouse (Mus musculus) in some areas of Russia and the near abroad

Abstract

The role of invasions in formation of the phylogeographic structure of a synanthropic species of house mouse (Mus musculus) is investigated. The probable ways of its expansion in some areas of Russia and the near abroad are analyzed. The genetic variability of subspecies and populations of M. musculus is evaluated by the data on polymorphism of the mitochondrial DNA control region (D loop). The data show that there are three phylogenetic varieties of house mice living in Russia and the near abroad: (i) house mice from the hybrid zone in Transcaucasia and М. m. musculus from Moscow; (ii) house mice of southern European Russia and southern Western Siberia; (iii) populations of M. m. musculus from Eastern Europe. The invasions caused nonuniformity of the phylogeographic structure of M. musculus. None of the studied subspecies (M. m. musculus, M. m. wagneri, and M. m. gansuensis) formed a uniform phylogroup. This is probably related to hybridization of different parapatric taxa of house mice at the species and intraspecies levels.