Implemenation of the RAD sequencing methods to the population genetic studies of hedgehogs from the genus Erinaceus

Hedgehogs from the genus Erinaceus are an important model organism for studying the postglacial recolonisation of Europe and the processes that take place in the secondary contact zones of their areas of distribution. In this study, five individuals of white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus roumanicus), four individuals of western hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) and one estimated hybrid were analysed. Geographical distribution of individuals used in the study covers the region of the Central Europe, however in the further research expansion of analsysed individuals will be needed and the whole Palearct should be sampled. The main goal was to implement novel methods in research of hedgehogs, which will enable to map the population-genomic structure of the genus Erinaceus in western Palearct. The method RADSeq (Restriction site associated DNA sequencing) enables to obtain polymorphic markers, e.g., SNPs which we used (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms) across the genome. In this work it was analyzed 16382 SNPs. Using the binary data which indicates the presence and absence of SNPs for each species, hypotheses raised under classical analyzes of genetic markers from previous studies have not been fully confirmed. In further research it will be necessary to verify possible occurrence of biases connected with..