For a better understanding of the complex coevolutionary processes between hosts and parasites, accurate identification of the actors involved in the interaction is of fundamental importance. Blood parasites of the Order Haemosporidia, responsible for malaria, have become the focus of a broad range of studies in evolutionary biology. Interestingly, molecular‐based studies on avian malaria have revealed much higher species dive...

Using one male‐inherited, one female‐inherited and eight biparentally inherited markers, we investigate the population genetic structure of the Valais shrew ( Sorex antinorii ) in the Swiss Alps. Bayesian analysis on autosomal microsatellites suggests a clear genetic differentiation between two groups of populations. This geographically based structure is consistent with two separate postglacial recolonization routes of the sp...

The species of the common shrew ( Sorex araneus ) group are morphologically very similar but exhibit high levels of karyotypic variation. Here we used genetic variation at 10 microsatellite markers in a data set of 212 individuals mostly sampled in the western Alps and composed of five karyotypic taxa ( Sorex coronatus , Sorex antinorii and the S. araneus chromosome races Cordon, Bretolet and Vaud) to investigate the concordan...