Phylogenetic Studies on the Japanese Native Breeds of Chickens

Abstract

Phylogenetic analyses were carried out using 15 Japanese and one Indonesian native breeds of domestic fowl and four species of jungle fowl. Gene frequencies at four blood group and seven electrophoretic loci were examined.
The gene frequencies at some loci showed geographical trends, and the frequencies of some alleles were different between the domestic fowl and jungle fowl. The average genetic distances between the domestic fowl and jungle fowl were small for Red Jungle Fowl, intermediate for Gray Jungle Fowl, and very large for Ceylonese and Green Jungle Fowls.
Cluster analyses of 15 Japanese native breeds of chickens showed that these breeds could be divided into five groups: the first group consisting of Hinai-dori, Koeyoshi, Tomaru and Shamos; the second of Chabos, Satsuma-dori and Nagoya; the third of Totenko and Onaga-dori; the 4th and 5th of Tosa-jidori and Shokoku, respectively. Indonesian native fowl showed a close relationship to the second group.