Genetic Markers for Studying the Current Distribution Area and Population Structure of the Sable Martes Zibellina L.

Three types of genetic markers (restriction fragments of cytochrome b mtDNA gene, SSR and ISSR) were proposed for the study of genetic variability in the sable Martes zibellina within its geographic range. mtDNA haplotypes of different subspecies of the sable were described. Haplotypes of the eastern sable Martes zibellina princeps, which was introduced to Tyumen region in the 20th century, are rare in the gene pool of the modern sable populations of West Siberia. Haplotype diversity in the West Siberian sable M. z. zibellina is high due to introgressive hybridisation with the pine marten Martes martes. Nuclear genetic markers of M. zibellina × M. martes hybrids are more similar to the sable than to the pine marten.