engleski

Determination of species and hybrids of water frogs (genus Pelophylax) from the Skadar Lake (Montenegro) using molecular markers

Western Palearctic water frogs (genus Pelophylax) is extremely complex genus with approximately twelve species and three hybrid complexes. Today, water frogs are being intensively studied, primarily because of the presence of hybrid complexes with hemiclonal strategy of reproduction. Although, according to literature, the existence of hybrid complexes has not been proven on the Balkan Peninsula, preliminary research into the morphological characteristics of water frogs from the Skadar Lake (Montenegro) indicate that they do exist. Since the determination of species and hybrids of water frogs on the basis of morphological features is not reliable, the aim of this study was to analyse the water frogs from the Skadar Lake using molecular markers. The study was conducted on 100 samples of water frogs, which were analysed using nuclear marker (serum albumin intron‐1) and mitochondrial marker (gene NADH dehydrogenase subunit 3). The results showed the presence of species Pelophylax kurtmuelleri and Pelophylax shqipericus, and mostly, a new, up to now undescribed hybrid complex. In this study, species Pelophylax ridibundus, Pelophylax lessonae and their hybrid Pelophylax kl. esculentus were not recorded, although their presence was possible according to the literature.

Balkan Peninsula ; P. kurtmuelleri ; P. shqipericus ; serum albumin intron‐1 ; mitochondrial region ND3

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