Genetic variation of four populations of the little blue penguin, eudyptula minor

Abstract

The biochemical differentiation of four geographic populations of the Little Blue Penguin, Eudyptula minor from Onawe Peninsula, Motunau Island, Maud Island (South Island of New Zealand) and Poor Knights Island (North Island) was determined. Ten isozymes, with a total of 24 loci were analysed. Seven of these loci were polymorphic. A south-north cline was detected in the allelic frequencies of all the polymorphic loci. Population specific loci were detected. The Yellow-eyed Penguin, Megadyptes antipodes offered a comparison between genera. In Megadyptes only two loci were polymorphic, and it had a lower mean heterozygosity than E. minor. Loci specific for this genus were detected. The two genera shared the same alleles at seventeen of twenty loci. © The Genetical Society of Great Britain.