Allozyme divergence among four representatives of the subfamily Alcelaphinae (family: Bovidae).

We used protein gel electrophoresis to study genetic diversity within and between blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), black wildebeest (C. gnou), red hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus caama) and blesbok (Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi). Twenty-nine protein encoding loci were resolved, average heterozygosity ranged from 3.25-5.36% and between population gene diversity accounted for the major share of the total relative gene diversity (69.34%). Genetic distance values ranged from 0.021 to 0.132 and 0.029 to 0.136, with closest identity between the two wildebeest species (as expected for congeneric species). The results are discussed with specific reference to taxonomic relationships between species within the subfamily where interbreeding is known to have occurred.