THE APPLICATION OF MULTILOCUS GENOTYPING TO DETECT INVASIVE HYBRIDS IN THE GENUS CYPRINELLA**
Abstract
Due to anthropogenic pressures, freshwater ecosystems are being rapidly destroyed worldwide. Human impacts also have resulted in the loss of native aquatic biodiversity. In particular, the introduction of non-native species to aquatic habitats is of great concern. Historically, the introductions of many non-native freshwater fishes are the result of commercial baitfish aquaculture, food industries, or private aquarium release. The Red Shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis) is a small stream fish endemic to the central USA, with its natural range largely restricted to West of the Mississippi River. Since the 1950’s, Red Shiner have been commercially raised and transported across the globe as fishing bait and ornamental fish. During the early 1990’s populations of invasive Red Shiner were first observed in the Coosa River Basin of Northwest Georgia, USA. Originating from bait bucket releases, it quickly established within the Upper Coosa River Basin, and now hybridizes with at least one native Cyprinella, the Blacktail Shiner (C. venusta). Prior research suggests that hybrid shiners are intermediate to parental shiners in both swimming performance and morphology. Following previous studies that use swimming as a proxy for fitness, this may mean that hybrids have competitive levels of fitness when compared to parentals. Positive identification of hybrid shiners is critical to the conservation of native species in the Coosa, and previous work has largely relied on the use of morphological traits. To confirm the reliability of morphological traits used for hybrid identification, we collected twenty morphologically intermediate specimens identified by microsatellite genotyping. Seven previously developed nuclear loci will be used to detect the presence of genetic admixture from Red and Blacktail Shiner. PCR products will be scored with genotype analysis software. Individuals were then assigned to an admixture category according to the average assignment values to the first cluster which were developed by previous studies.
Acknowledgements
GCSU Department of Biology
Recommended Citation
Miller, Maci S.; Glotzbecker, Gregory J.; and Blum, Michael J.
(2023)
"THE APPLICATION OF MULTILOCUS GENOTYPING TO DETECT INVASIVE HYBRIDS IN THE GENUS CYPRINELLA**,"
Georgia Journal of Science, Vol. 81, No. 1, Article 26.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.gaacademy.org/gjs/vol81/iss1/26