Microsatellite loci reveal bottlenecks and genetic drift in Owens pupfish (Cyprinodon radiosus) populations

Authors: Amanda J. Finger, Steve Parmenter, Bernie May

Year: 2009 (xli)

Abstract

The once abundant Owens pupfish (Cyprinodon radiosus) was believed extinct by 1948, yet persisted in a single pool isolated from non-native fish predators.  Rescued from extinction in 1969, 800 survivors and their progeny have been maintained in a variety of impermanent refuges.  At the time of sampling there were four disjunct reproducing populations.  A declining fifth population had nearly disappeared, with only 3 fish captured.  Analysis of microsatellite DNA from four populations reveals a history of population bottlenecks, low allelic richness, low pairwise-Fst values, low effective population sizes, and private alleles in each of the populations.  In order to protect the Owens pupfish from extinction the establishment of more refuge populations is recommended.