Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science (Dec 1972)

A study of genetic markers in the South African Blesbok (<i>Damaliscus Dorcas Phillipsi</i>)

  • D. R Osterhoff,
  • I. S Ward-Cox,
  • Valerie Emslie

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v15i1.667
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 1
pp. 49 – 53

Abstract

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During culling operations on blesbok from the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, 198 blood samples were obtained for study of genetic markers including haemoglobins, transferrins, amylases, albumins and carbonic anhydrases. All animals exhibited the same pattern. Blood typing was performed by using goat reagents. These reagents could possibly be used to establish the relationship between the blesbok and the bontebok. Immunoelectrophoresis was used to detect any immunological differences; 123 blesbok samples were tested against antibovine serum prepared in rabbits. The animals could be grouped into four distinguishable types according to the shape and presence of the alpha-2-macroglobulin and the "horizontal55 band.