DNA marker analysis detects multiple maternity and paternity in single broods of the lesser snow goose

Abstract The determination of the degree of genetic relatedness among individuals is important for many population and behavioural studies1. Conventional genetic markers such as allozymes are usually inadequate for such determinations, especially in avian species2,3. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) which are inherited as co-dominant mendelian alleles4, have recently been applied to paternity and maternity analyses in humans to …