Genetic diversity and multiple mitochondrial phylogroups of the red fox have been revealed from scattered locations in previous studies. There is a still lack of information about the genetic diversity and phylogeographic structure of the red fox in Asia Minor. We investigated the genetic diversity in the Turkish red fox using a part of the cytochrome b mitochondrial gene (375 bp), and attempted to evaluate the phylogeographic structure in various geographic ranges of the species with the use of sequences available from the GenBank from various geographic origins and our data. Bayesian and Network analyses of the cytochrome b sequences from Turkey and GenBank suggested that the red fox is divided into four main phylogroups. They are grouped accordingly: Group 1 (SW Anatolia, Turkey and Hokkaido, Japan), Group 2 (Eurasia and North America), Group 3 (only North America), and Group 4 (Vietnam). The majority of Turkish haplotypes grouped with those of Eurasia. Despite the great distance between the localities, two haplotypes from SW Anatolia, Turkey grouped with previously reported haplotypes from Hokkaido, Japan. The present study shows that the Turkish red fox is nested within two main phylogroups and exhibits a high genetic diversity.

In the present study, partial sequences (439 bp) of mitochondrial DNA including D-loop region were obtained from seven golden jackals, Canis aureus, collected in Turkey. They were compared to the D-loop sequences registered in the GenBank database under the name Canis aureus. We determined four D-loop haplotypes (333 bp) among the seven Turkish sequences. Despite the limited number of sequences, our analysis indicated that Canis aureus consists of two allopatric haplogroups (a major haplogroup representing Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Serbia and Turkey, and a minor haplogroup containing one haplotype from India) within the sampling area. Interestingly, one haplotype from Senegal was clustered close to grey wolves, used as out-group, and this haplotype might not belong to golden jackal as suggested in previous studies. Our work presented the important data obtained from the Turkish samples to reveal the phylogenetic relationships among golden jackals, and it has suggested that there is a relatively high genetic variability in Turkish golden jackals.

Sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene have been used for DNA barcoding and determining the genetic diversity of mammal species. In the current study, our intention was to test the validity of COI barcodes for detecting genetic divergence and to reveal whether or not there is a genetic variation at this marker within canids. Three species (Canis aureus, Canis lupus and Vulpes vulpes) from the family Canidae were selected for DNA barcoding using samples collected from Iran and Turkey. All three species had unique barcoding sequences and none of the sequences were shared among these species. The mean sequence divergences within and among the species were 0.61% and 12.32%, respectively, which fell into the mean divergence ranges found in some mammal groups. The genetic diversity of these three canid species was relatively higher than that found in previously reported studies.