Geographic Mosaic of Extensive Genetic Variations in Subterranean Mole Voles as a Consequence of Habitat Fragmentation and Hybridization.

Restricted mobility, sociality, and high inbreeding-characteristic for subterranean mammals-lead to rapid changes in their genome structure. Up to now, the Alay mole vole was a data-deficient species; its spatial and phylogenetic relationships with a sibling species, , were not clarified. We carried out a genetic analysis including differential G-banding of chromosomes and mitochondrial () and nuclear gene ( and ) sequencing. The phylogenetic reconstruction based on represented the expected phylogenetic relationships of two species. Using the , we revealed two new lineages among from the Alay Valley (Southern Kyrgyzstan). Analysis of demonstrated presence of the specific genotype in most of specimens, but also revealed the haplotype, typical for , in some Alay mole voles. The results may be explained as persistence of ancestral gene polymorphism in or limited interspecific hybridization with . Several chromosomal forms were revealed in in the Alay Valley. We propose that 'mosaic' genetic polymorphism might appear in due to fragmentation of their habitats in highlands of the Alay Valley, Tien Shan, and Pamir-Alay as well as due to hybridization with or persistence of ancestral polymorphisms.