Geographical variation of transferrin allele frequencies in three deer species from Scandinavia

Blood samples from 871 moose (Alces alces L.), 91 red deer (Cervus elaphus L.), and 33 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) from Scandinavia were analysed for serum transferrin variability by agarose electrophoresis. The patterns of variability suggest two alleles in the moose, three in the red deer, but only one in the roe deer. Spatial heterogeneity of allele frequencies was found in both variable species. Differences in the level of transferrin variation among closely related species of Cervidae may be related to the social structure of each species and its effects on the transmission of disease organisms.