Gene flow among Calomys musculinus (Rodentia, Muridae) populations in Argentina

Calomys musculinus is a Sigmodontinae rodent inhabiting periodically disturbed habitats in the central eastern plains of Argentina. It is the natural reservoir host of Junin virus, the etiological agent of Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever (AHF). In order to analyze the levels of gene flow among populations of this species, allozymic variability at 26 loci was studied in 291 individuals from the endemic zone of AHF and localities outside it. All populations showed high levels of polymorphism (He between 0.107 and 0.144; P95% between 38 and 54%). Individual loci f values were in most cases negative, although not significantly different from zero. Mean genetic differentiation among populations was low, but statistically significant (theta = 0.020; P < 0.01). There was no correlation between genetic and geographic distances between pairs of populations, and scatter of the pairwise points suggests that, at the regional scale, genetic drift is more influential than gene flow. This result can be interpreted as indicative of a relatively recent expansion of C. musculinus habitat and restricted on-going gene flow, which would be compatible with a relatively slow expansion rate of AHF.