Population genetic diversity and regional differentiation of Chinese forest frogs (Rana chensinensis) in Heilongjiang Province

The Random Amplified Polymorphism DNA (RAPD) markers were used to study the intra-specific diversity and regional differentiation of the Chinese forest frogs (Rana chensinensis), which were sampled from the fields of 8 regions in, Heilongjiang Province. Totally 78 polymorphic DNA loci were amplified by 10 RAPD primers. By genetic distance analysis and phylogenetic tree reconstruction with the Neighbor-Joining (NJ) method the results showed that the populations of Chinese forest frogs distributed in 8 regions existed great differentiation (Average Fst=0.347, SD=0.235) while, there was the paradox between geographic distances and genetic distances. Based on geographic and geological data, a hypothesis was posed that it is very possible that the hilly lands in the downstream of the Songhua River and the Heilong River were the center of the origin of the Chinese forest frogs in Heilongjiang Province. And mainly through the Songhua River system, the Chinese forest frogs dispersed into the Songneng Plain from the Sanjiang Plain whereas the Fangzheng region became a sub-center for the western dispersion.