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Diversity
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Conservation Genetics of Sturgeons
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Conservation Genetics of Sturgeons

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 July 2023) | Viewed by 16902

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Elisa Boscari

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy
Interests: conservation genetics; sturgeons; biodiversity; fisheries; molecular markers; species identification; population genetics and genomics; forensics; aquaculture; ecology
Dr. Peilin Cheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of P. R. China, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuhan 430223, China
Interests: conservation genetics; genome evolution; sturgeons; biodiversity; fisheries; population genetics; phylogenetics; aquaculture; ecology
Dr. Leonardo Congiu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy
Interests: conservation genetics and genomics; molecular ecology; sturgeon genetics; Ex-situ conservation; species identification
Prof. Dr. Arne Ludwig

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Leibniz Institute for Zoo & Wildlife Research, 10315 Berlin, Germany
Interests: conservation of endangered species; wildlife forensics and trade control; conservation genetics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nikolai Mugue

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Russian Federal Research Institute Of Fisheries and Oceanography and Koltzov Institute for Developmental Biology RAS, 107140 Moscow, Russia
Interests: speciation; sturgeons; conservation genetics
Dr. Mohammad Pourkazemi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The Caspian Sea Water Basin Research Institute, Guilan University, POB: 4199613776 Rasht, Iran
Interests: sturgeon population genetics; molecular taxonomy; genetic manipolation; molecular marker for species and sex identification; conservation genetics; gene pool conservation; biodiversity; breeding program; sturgeon restocking; aquaculture
Dr. Kim Scribner

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Rd., East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Interests: evolutionary ecology; conservation genetics; reproductive ecology; population genomics; landscape genomics; environmental DNA; community genetics; sturgeon life history; fisheries biotechnology; demographical genetics; effective population size

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The journal Diversity is pleased to announce a forthcoming Special Issue focused on Conservation Genetics of Sturgeons.

Sturgeons and Paddlefish, with about 27 species distributed in the northern hemisphere, are among the oldest existing fish species, known to be an important part of natural heritage in many countries. They exhibit a number of unique life history characteristics including extreme longevity, iteroparity, and natal philopatry. Individuals from populations of most species inhabit large riverine, laucustrian, or marine systems during non-reproductive periods.

Globally, they are considered as “the most critically endangered group of animals”, according to the 2010 IUCN. Overfishing, damming, and pollution are the main threats that have led biodiversity of sturgeon species and populations under unprecedented pressure. Despite worldwide legal protection and CITES listing all species since 1998, illegal trade and habitat destruction continue to deplete wild stocks driving almost all sturgeon species to the brink of extinction.

Despite many efforts were carried out so far by various actors (scientific institutions, local authorities, farmers, and also civil society), many spawning populations are suffering and the status of several sturgeon species has worsened in the recent decades. This means that some of the species are in “serious danger of becoming extinct” as reported by the European Union (EU) Directive and additional efforts are strongly urgent.

In the recent decades, genetic data have proven to be particularly successful at generating information that can be used for purposes of management. In this context, bringing us up to date with most recent updates on sturgeon conservation genetics is needed to be informed about threats to population and species viability and face future anthropogenically induced challenges about protection and recovery of sturgeons and their environment.

This Special Issue is an interesting opportunity to present case studies, research findings, and synthesis papers about any of the following topics: i) genetic structure of natural and/or cultured populations; ii) identification of species, hybrids, and introgression events among species; iii) population dynamics in habitat with anthropogenic impact; iv) in situ monitoring supported by genetic analysis; v) in situ and ex situ management activities to prevent populations/stocks from biodiversity losing; vi) forensic methods for trade control; or any other genetic topics relevant for conservation of endangered sturgeon species; vii) effects of environmental and biotic features on reproductive success and recruitment; advances in genomic techniques for sturgeon research, monitoring and conservation; and viii) population assignment and mixture analyses to characterize movements and occupancy areas during non-spawning periods; or any other genetic topics relevant for conservation of endangered sturgeon species.

We especially welcome contributions from research groups working all over the world in the field of conservation genetics. Discussion/perspectives or reviews that chronicle relevant issues supporting sturgeon conservation and management are welcome, also highlighting either positive or negative impacts of different conservation strategies.

We encourage authors to submit a manuscript focused on any of the above topics. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested in this opportunity or have any questions.

Dr. Elisa Boscari
Dr. Peilin Cheng
Dr. Leonardo Congiu
Prof. Dr. Arne Ludwig
Dr. Nikolai Mugue
Dr. Mohammad Pourkazemi
Dr. Kim Scribner
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Acipenseriformes
  • Conservation management and genetics
  • Habitat suitability
  • Population genetics
  • Population assessment
  • Species and hybrids detection
  • Conservation threats
  • Biodiversity
  • In situ and Ex situ conservation strategies
  • Reproductive ecology
  • Effective population size
  • Mixed stock analysis

Published Papers (9 papers)

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13 pages, 3895 KiB  
Article
InDel DNA Markers Potentially Unique to Kaluga Sturgeon Huso dauricus Based on Whole-Genome Resequencing Data
by Xiaoyu Yan, Ying Dong, Tian Dong, Hailiang Song, Wei Wang and Hongxia Hu
Diversity 2023, 15(5), 689; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d15050689 - 19 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1094
Abstract
Sturgeons are ancient and endangered species whose populations have been greatly reduced over the past few centuries due to habitat destruction and overfishing for the production of expensive caviar. All sturgeon species are listed in CITES Appendix II to limit their trade; therefore, [...] Read more.
Sturgeons are ancient and endangered species whose populations have been greatly reduced over the past few centuries due to habitat destruction and overfishing for the production of expensive caviar. All sturgeon species are listed in CITES Appendix II to limit their trade; therefore, accurate species identification is crucial. In this study, we performed whole-genome resequencing of five sturgeon species, including Kaluga sturgeon (H. dauricus), Siberian sturgeon (A. baerii), Sterlet sturgeon (A. ruthenus), Russian sturgeon (A. gueldenstaedtii), and Amur sturgeon (A. schrenckii), to obtain species-specific InDel-based nucleotide sequences for Kaluga sturgeon. Through whole-genome screening within these five sturgeon species, we developed methods for the rapid identification of Kaluga sturgeon germplasm. Using dominant/co-dominant molecular markers designed for Huso dauricus, purebred or hybrid samples can be identified through a PCR reaction. These markers allow for the precise identification of Kaluga sturgeon lineages from at least seven sturgeon species (H. dauricus, A. schrenckii, A. ruthenus, A. baerii, A. gueldenstaedtii, A. stellatus, and H. huso) and their hybrids. This development is expected to have a positive effect on both the sturgeon trade and the conservation of sturgeon germplasm resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conservation Genetics of Sturgeons)
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21 pages, 2438 KiB  
Article
Conservation Genetics of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens): Nuclear Phylogeography Drives Contemporary Patterns of Genetic Structure and Diversity
by Shawna L. Kjartanson, Tim Haxton, Kristyne Wozney, Nathan R. Lovejoy and Chris C. Wilson
Diversity 2023, 15(3), 385; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d15030385 - 07 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2020
Abstract
Sustainable management of exploited and endangered species is facilitated by knowledge of their geographic genetic structure. Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) epitomizes both categories, but genetic information has largely been limited to the Laurentian Great Lakes basin. We assessed the hierarchical geographic [...] Read more.
Sustainable management of exploited and endangered species is facilitated by knowledge of their geographic genetic structure. Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) epitomizes both categories, but genetic information has largely been limited to the Laurentian Great Lakes basin. We assessed the hierarchical geographic genetic structure of lake sturgeon across their Canadian range using a variation at 14 microsatellite loci. Observed patterns showed evidence of two ancestral groups which originated from Mississippian and Missourian glacial refugia. Coalescent analysis indicates the two lineages most recently shared common ancestry during the late Pleistocene and were likely isolated by the late Wisconsinan ice advance, with subsequent interpopulation divergences within each lineage reflecting their reciprocal isolation as glacial meltwaters receded. Hierarchical patterns of genetic relationships among contemporary populations largely reflect colonization histories and connections within primary and secondary watersheds. Populations in western Canada showed strong similarities based on their shared Missourian origins and colonization from glacial Lake Agassiz. By contrast, populations in the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River drainage were largely founded from a Mississippian source. Sturgeon populations in northern parts of Ontario and Quebec showed evidence of mixed ancestry from secondary contact between the two refugial groups through Holocene meltwater lakes. Within major watersheds, the strong similarity among geographically separate populations reflects their shared ancestry during postglacial colonization. The general lack of structure within major river systems highlights historically continuous habitat (connectivity) and gene flow rather than contemporary barriers (dams). These data highlight the importance of Quaternary and prehistoric events on patterns of genetic diversity and divergence within and among contemporary populations, as well as the importance of these populations for conserving the species’ evolutionary legacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conservation Genetics of Sturgeons)
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18 pages, 3163 KiB  
Article
Two Distinct Life History Strategies of Atlantic Sturgeon in the Ogeechee River, Georgia
by Isaac Wirgin, Adam G. Fox, Lorraine Maceda and John Waldman
Diversity 2023, 15(3), 325; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d15030325 - 22 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1690
Abstract
Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) is an anadromous, widely distributed, highly migratory sturgeon subspecies that occurs in rivers and marine waters along the North American Atlantic Coast. This fish has shown widespread declines and has been afforded conservation protections, including some [...] Read more.
Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) is an anadromous, widely distributed, highly migratory sturgeon subspecies that occurs in rivers and marine waters along the North American Atlantic Coast. This fish has shown widespread declines and has been afforded conservation protections, including some based in the U.S. on the delineation of Distinct Population Segments (DPS) under the Endangered Species Act. The management of Atlantic sturgeon will benefit from the knowledge of its population structure as well as the ability to uniquely identify individuals (in relation to population origin) that are vulnerable to anthropogenic stressors at sites outside of their natal estuaries. We used microsatellite analysis to estimate the genetic population structure of Atlantic sturgeon from 13 spawning rivers ranging from the St. Lawrence River, Quebec to the Satilla River, Georgia. Individual Based Assignment (IBA) testing was used to estimate the contribution of each population to mixed-stock aggregations in coastal waters and in a non-natal estuary. An unexpected finding was the discovery of two distinct genetic clusters of juvenile Atlantic sturgeon in the Ogeechee River, Georgia, with specimens in the two clusters differing significantly in terms of mean total length. Additionally, three distinct genetic clusters were detected within the Satilla River juvenile collection, along with two clusters within the Edisto River sample. In F1ST and FST analyses, the extent of the pairwise genetic differentiation between the two genetic clusters in the Ogeechee River and the three in the Satilla River was greater than that between all other pairwise comparisons among rivers in the South Atlantic DPS. In contrast, we found no evidence of the genetic partitioning of juvenile sturgeon within the neighboring Savannah or Altamaha river populations. Using IBA, we found that the overall Ogeechee River population made a moderate contribution (8.3%) to the overall mixed-stock collections (n = 1512) from coastal North Carolina to the Bay of Fundy. Surprisingly, all of the Ogeechee River-assigned specimens (n = 125) in these mixed-stock aggregations were representatives of only one of the two Ogeechee River genetic clusters. These results suggest that the two Ogeechee River genetic clusters exhibit significantly different life history strategies, with one being resident and the second being highly migratory. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conservation Genetics of Sturgeons)
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8 pages, 854 KiB  
Article
Rare but Not Gone: A Relict Population of the Black Sea Ship Sturgeon Acipenser nudiventris Persists in the Rioni River, Georgia
by Tamar Beridze, Fleur Scheele, Tamari Edisherashvili and Cort Anderson
Diversity 2022, 14(12), 1102; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14121102 - 12 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1456
Abstract
Historically, the ship sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris) occurred in the Aral, Caspian, Azov, and Black Sea basins. However, its numbers decreased dramatically during the 20th century. It is now considered extirpated from the Aral, Azov, and Black Seas, and has almost disappeared [...] Read more.
Historically, the ship sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris) occurred in the Aral, Caspian, Azov, and Black Sea basins. However, its numbers decreased dramatically during the 20th century. It is now considered extirpated from the Aral, Azov, and Black Seas, and has almost disappeared in the Caspian Sea. A. nudiventris is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and, in Georgia, the species has been undetected for the last three decades. We collected 22 sightings, including nine genetic samples taken from fin clips of ship sturgeon from the Rioni River in Georgia during 2020–2022. For the genetic samples, the mitochondrial DNA control region was used for species identification. Because cases of sturgeon inter-species hybridization have been reported in the Rioni River, we used species-specific diagnostic markers and ship sturgeon-specific microsatellite markers for detecting hybridization with other sturgeon species. In addition, we used a sex-specific marker for sex identification. Based on the maternal identification, all nine individuals are identified as ship sturgeon, representing one haplotype, and the haplotype is different from all other A. nudiventris haplotypes available in GenBank. Based on genetic analysis, the specimens did not show signs of hybridization with other locally occurring species. We conclude that ship sturgeon still live in the Rioni River, and are a remnant of an older, preexisting Black Sea ship sturgeon population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conservation Genetics of Sturgeons)
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17 pages, 1536 KiB  
Article
Population Structure of White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) in the Columbia River Inferred from Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms
by Stuart C. Willis, Blaine Parker, Andrea D. Schreier, Ray Beamesderfer, Donella Miller, Shawn Young and Shawn R. Narum
Diversity 2022, 14(12), 1045; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14121045 - 29 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1411
Abstract
White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) are the largest freshwater fish in North America, with reproducing populations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin, Fraser, and Columbia River Basins. Of these, the Columbia River is the largest, but it is also highly fragmented by hydroelectric dams, [...] Read more.
White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) are the largest freshwater fish in North America, with reproducing populations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin, Fraser, and Columbia River Basins. Of these, the Columbia River is the largest, but it is also highly fragmented by hydroelectric dams, and many segments are characterized by declining abundance and persistent recruitment failure. Efforts to conserve and supplement these fish requires an understanding of their spatial genetic structure. Here, we assembled a large set of samples from throughout the Columbia River Basin, along with representative collections from adjacent basins, and genotyped them using a panel of 325 single-nucleotide markers. Results from individual- and group-based analyses of these data indicate that white sturgeon in the uppermost Columbia River Basin, in the Kootenai and upper Snake Rivers, are the most distinct, while the remaining populations downstream in the basin can be described as a genetic gradient consistent with an isolation-by-distance effect. Notably, the population in the lowest reaches of the Columbia River is more distinct from the middle or upper reaches than from outside basins, and suggests historically a higher or more recent gene exchange through coastal routes than with populations in the interior Columbia Basin. Nonetheless, proximal reaches were generally only marginally or non-significantly divergent, suggesting that transplanting larvae or juveniles from nearby sources poses relatively little risk of outbreeding depression. Indeed, we inferred examples of dispersal between reaches via close-kin mark-recapture and genetic mark-recapture that indicate movement between nearby reaches is not unusual. Samples from the Kootenai and upper Snake Rivers exhibited notably lower genetic diversity than the remaining samples as a result of population bottlenecks, genetic drift, and/or historical divergence. Conservation actions, such as supplementation, are underway to maintain population viability and will require balanced efforts to increase demographic abundance while maintaining genetic diversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conservation Genetics of Sturgeons)
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8 pages, 1160 KiB  
Article
Genetic Assessment of Remnant Sub-Populations of Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus Linnaeus, 1758) in the Upper Danube
by Thomas Friedrich, Dietmar Lieckfeldt and Arne Ludwig
Diversity 2022, 14(10), 893; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14100893 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2469
Abstract
While the potamodromous sterlet was common in the past throughout the Upper Danube in Germany and Austria, it nearly vanished in the second half of the 20th century. Until recently, only one small and isolated reproductive sub-population is known from the German–Austrian border. [...] Read more.
While the potamodromous sterlet was common in the past throughout the Upper Danube in Germany and Austria, it nearly vanished in the second half of the 20th century. Until recently, only one small and isolated reproductive sub-population is known from the German–Austrian border. However, isolated remnants in another section downstream of Vienna, near the Austrian–Slovakian border, were discovered in 2014. An assessment of the population size is one of the most important prerequisites for conservation management. This study aims to assess the population sizes at both sites, using genetic pedigrees and comparison to mark–recapture data. A total of 193 samples collected from these populations between 2011 and 2021 have been investigated. In addition, 59 samples from captive stocks, 38 wild fish from downstream, and 247 genetic profiles from previous studies were used for comparison. Results show close relationships and intermittent reproduction on one site. Estimated populations based upon genetic pedigree are very small, and are consistent with mark–recapture results. Small population sizes of remnant populations have only limited, sporadic reproduction, as well as continual losses to outmigration support conservation actions for sturgeons in the Upper Danube, including the restoration of functional migration corridors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conservation Genetics of Sturgeons)
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11 pages, 938 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Captive Breeders to Preserve the Residual Genetic Diversity of Adriatic Sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii)
by Federica Barca, Stefano Dalle Palle, Luca Schiavon, Chiara Samassa, Giuseppe Castaldelli, Elisa Boscari and Leonardo Congiu
Diversity 2022, 14(10), 829; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14100829 - 02 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1597
Abstract
Since 1996, the Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii) has been inscribed on the IUCN Red List as “Critically Endangered and possibly extinct in the wild”. Nowadays, its survival totally depends on restocking programs conducted by releasing juveniles generated from adult breeders reared [...] Read more.
Since 1996, the Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii) has been inscribed on the IUCN Red List as “Critically Endangered and possibly extinct in the wild”. Nowadays, its survival totally depends on restocking programs conducted by releasing juveniles generated from adult breeders reared in aquaculture. Conducting accurate genetic characterizations of all individuals potentially involved in reproduction activities is therefore of primary importance to avoid inbreeding and to maximize the genetic diversity transmitted to following generations. Since all animals reared in captivity descend from a single stock of wild origin, this offers the ideal condition for carrying out relatedness analysis based on parentage allocations. In this study, we provided the most complete characterization of about 500 individuals representing the most diverse extant stock of Adriatic sturgeon. Through the analyses of mitochondrial d-loop and 15 microsatellite loci selected from 24 genotyped loci, we identified about 30 different familiar groups, updating data on breeding stocks, increasing the genetic information already available, and extending the analyses to animals never genotyped before. Given its completeness, it will represent a reference database for any future parental allocation of recaptured animals for the inclusion of all other stocks present, as well as for the development of a long-term breeding plan. The approach used has also been proven useful on individuals of unknown genealogy, allowing for the identification of family groups and thus being proven to be promising for the analysis of stocks of other tetraploid sturgeon species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conservation Genetics of Sturgeons)
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16 pages, 1866 KiB  
Article
Different Chromosome Segregation Patterns Coexist in the Tetraploid Adriatic Sturgeon Acipenser naccarii
by Stefano Dalle Palle, Elisa Boscari, Simone Giulio Bordignon, Víctor Hugo Muñoz-Mora, Giorgio Bertorelle and Leonardo Congiu
Diversity 2022, 14(9), 745; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14090745 - 10 Sep 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1648
Abstract
The Adriatic sturgeon, Acipenser naccarii (Bonaparte, 1836), is a critically endangered tetraploid endemism of the Adriatic region; it has been targeted, over the last 20 years, by different conservation programs based on controlled reproduction of captive breeders followed by the release of their [...] Read more.
The Adriatic sturgeon, Acipenser naccarii (Bonaparte, 1836), is a critically endangered tetraploid endemism of the Adriatic region; it has been targeted, over the last 20 years, by different conservation programs based on controlled reproduction of captive breeders followed by the release of their juvenile offspring; its preservation would greatly benefit from the correct and coordinated management of the residual genetic variability available in the different captive stocks. In this sense, the setup of an efficient parental allocation procedure would allow identifying familiar groups and establishing informed breeding plans, effectively preserving genetic variation. However, being the species tetraploid, the analyses often deal with complex genome architecture and a preliminary evaluation of allele segregation patterns at different chromosomes is necessary to assess whether the species can be considered a pure tetraploid, as previously observed at some loci, or if a more complex situation is present. Here we study the segregation at 14 microsatellites loci in 12 familiar groups. Results support in different families the tetrasomic segregation pattern at 11 markers and the disomic segregation at three markers. The Adriatic sturgeon thus shows a mixed inheritance modality. In this species, and likely in other sturgeons, accurate knowledge of the loci used for paternity analysis is therefore required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conservation Genetics of Sturgeons)
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8 pages, 810 KiB  
Brief Report
Real-Time PCR-Based Method for Sex Determination in Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)
by Jeannette Kanefsky, Seth Smith and Kim T. Scribner
Diversity 2022, 14(10), 839; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14100839 - 05 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1779
Abstract
The characterization of demographic features in natural populations is important to understand recruitment dynamics, mating systems, and propensities for loss of genetic diversity. The accurate identification of sex can be difficult in sexually monomorphic species. We present a melt curve analysis based on [...] Read more.
The characterization of demographic features in natural populations is important to understand recruitment dynamics, mating systems, and propensities for loss of genetic diversity. The accurate identification of sex can be difficult in sexually monomorphic species. We present a melt curve analysis based on qPCR assays for lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) sex identification and validation using the AllWSex2 marker and adult males and females (total N = 143) with an assigned field sex from two populations (Black Lake, MI, and Menominee River, MI–WI border, USA). The assay is highly accurate (~98% concordance between putative or confirmed field and molecular sex classification), fast, and easy to use. The detected inconsistencies between field and molecular sexing were partially attributed to field-sexing uncertainty. This method will allow researchers to rapidly determine the sex of individuals of this regionally threatened species to use in conservation efforts and research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conservation Genetics of Sturgeons)
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