Intraspecific Genetic Differentiation of the Siberian Rubythroat (Luscinia calliope): Data of Sequencing the mtDNA Cytochrome b Gene

For the first time, genetic diversity and intraspecific structure of Luscinia calliope was studied according to the data of the mtDNA cytochrome b gene sequencing. The strong differentiation of haplotypes of the Siberian Rubythroat into western and eastern groups, which include subspecies according to their geographical attachment, was revealed. A high-haplotypic (Hd = 0.986) and nucleotide (pi= 0.00875) variety was shown for the species as a whole. We revealed considerable genetic distances (D = 0.016) between the western and eastern haplotypes that were four times higher than the intraspecific distances in terms of cytochrome b for passerines (D = 0.004). For three birds from Transbaikal, significant genetic divergence was detected, which could indirectly indicate the existence of the hybrid zone of several subspecies in this part of the area.