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Microsatellite analysis supports mitochondrial phylogeography of the hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)

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Abstract

We investigated genetic diversity of the hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) throughout its range in the eastern US using nuclear markers and compared our results to a previously published mitochondrial analysis. A variety of nuclear markers, including protein-coding gene introns and microsatellites were tested but only microsatellites were variable enough for population level analysis. Microsatellite loci showed moderate among population sharing of alleles, in contrast to the reciprocal monophyly exhibited by mitochondrial DNA. However, analyses using F-statistics and Bayesian clustering algorithms showed considerable population subdivision and clustered hellbender populations into the same major groups as the mtDNA. The microsatellites combined with the mtDNA data suggest that gene flow is severely restricted or non-existent among eight major groups, and potentially among populations (rivers) within groups. The combined mtDNA and microsatellite data suggest that the currently recognized hellbender subspecies are paraphyletic. We suggest that the eight independent groups identified in our study should be managed as such, rather than basing conservation decisions on the two named subspecies of hellbender.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Tammy Lim for help in the field. Jeff Briggler provided specimens from the Eleven Point River. This research was partially supported by a grant from the National Park Service (J8C07070005) to EJR. MT was supported by a National Institutes of Health RISE Fellowship (5R25-GMO59298-10). Many thanks to Victoria Grant for facilitation of funding. Lori Eggert provided microsatellite advice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA

    Maria Tonione & Eric J. Routman

  2. Biology Department, Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Blvd, Bowling Green, KY, 42101, USA

    Jarrett R. Johnson

Authors
  1. Maria Tonione
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  2. Jarrett R. Johnson
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  3. Eric J. Routman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eric J. Routman.

Appendices

Appendix 1

See Table 4

Table 4 Primer sequences (5′–3′) for non-microsatellite autosomal genes, with references and GenBank accession numbers for the original loci
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Appendix 2

See Table 5

Table 5 Characterization of non-microsatellite autosomal loci for C. alleganiensis
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Tonione, M., Johnson, J.R. & Routman, E.J. Microsatellite analysis supports mitochondrial phylogeography of the hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). Genetica 139, 209–219 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-010-9538-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-010-9538-9

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