Genetic Diversity of Populations of Mountain Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus musicus Menetries, Sciuridae, Rodentia), the Main Carrier of the Plague, in the Territory of the Central Caucasian High-Mountain Natural Focus

The range of the mountain ground squirrel Spermophilus musicus extends in the Elbrus region and is limited by the basins of the Kuban and Cherek-Bezengi rivers, capturing the territory of the Central Caucasian high-mountain natural plague focus. The study of genetic diversity carried out according to the results of the study of 64 samples made it possible to identify 14 haplotypes grouped into two haplogroups. Analysis of the control region of mitochondrial DNA made it possible to establish genetic differentiation between its various settlements, dividing them into “high-mountain” and “mountain-steppe” ones. The presence of significant genetic diversity is probably associated with the long interepizootic period observed in the outbreak.