Advances on the genetic characterization of the reproductive stock of Yaqui catfish, Ictalurus pricei (Rutter, 1896) of the Bavispe River sub-basin, Sonora

Authors: Alexsandre Gutiérrez-Barragán, Alejandro Varela-Romero, Carlos Ballesteros-Córdova, José Grijalva-Chon, Enrique Re-Vega, Francisco León

Year: 2019

Abstract

The Yaqui Catfish, Ictalurus pricei, is an endangered species (SEMARNAT, IUCN) due to the decline and loss of its populations in more than half of its historical distribution in Mexico and the United States. The main threat is the competition and hybridization with the Channel Catfish, I. punctatus. As part of the efforts for the conservation of the species, in 2019 began the creation of a reproductive stock in Rancho San Bernardino, Sonora, with 18 individuals morphologically similar to Yaqui Catfish collected in Arroyo Cajón Bonito, sub-basin of the Bavispe River to start the recovery of the species in Mexico. In this work, the specific identity of the catfishes captured, is being analyzed by means of the DNA barcode from the mitochondrial gene COXI, and the phylogenetic analysis of all individuals was performed with the COXI gene and the nuclear genes RAG1 and RAG2, with the objective of characterizing genetically the stock to ensure purity and reproductive success. So far 13 pure Yaqui Catfish, three Channel Catfish and two Ictalurus punctatus X pricei hybrids of the 18 initiators of the Arroyo Cajón Bonito in Sonora have been detected. This is the first genetic evidence of hybridization between these two species found in the wild in Sonora. We recommend including this information in the management of individuals in the reproductive stock in facilities of the Instituto de Acuacultura del Estado de Sonora and increase the evidence by using microsatellites to rule out possible genetic introgression.