Morphometric Variability of the Upper Molars and Mitochondrial Phylogeography of the Edible Dormouse Glis glis L. (Gliridae) in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus

Abstract

Using one of the methods of geometric morphometry, we have shown significant differences in the shape of the upper molars of the edible dormouse, Glis glis L., of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. The similarity of these long-isolated populations in the mitochondrial cytb gene has also been shown. We assume that changes in morphological structures are more rapid than random cytb gene changes due to the ecological characteristics of the species.