Molecular tools for species discrimination and detection of hybridization between two closely related Clupeid fishes Alosa alosa and A. fallax

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2011

Authors

faria, r (Author) Other; pinheiro, a (Author) Other; gabaldon, t (Author) Other; weiss, s (Author) Other; alexandrino, p (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Journal of Applied Ichthyology

Vol. 27

Pages: 16-20

ISSN: 0175-8659

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 2 Citations

Scopus - 2 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Agrarian Sciences > Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-J13

DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0426.2011.01846.x

Abstract (EN): Revealing the distinction between natural and human-mediated hybridization is critical for implementing adequate conservation strategies. To discriminate between two shad species, Alosa alosa and A. fallax, and to assess levels of hybridization between them, we developed two independent genetic markers (cytochrome b and a nuclear fragment with putative functional relevance) using single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP). The genotyping of two contiguous discriminative nuclear SNPs was further confirmed using a Taqman RT PCR assay. Both methodologies are shown to be very informative for species discrimination and reveal the occurrence of varying levels of introgression between European shads. In the Lima River, Portugal, where three morphological groups were identified (the two parental species and putative hybrids), A. falosa typical mtDNA haplotypes were found in A. fallax but not vice versa. Taking into account the different patterns observed, rivers-specific management strategies should be considered in the future.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 5