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Polyphyly of mtDNA lineages in the Russian sturgeon, Acipenser gueldenstaedtii: forensic and evolutionary implications

Conservation Genetics volume 1, pages 81–88 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

Molecular species identification methods are an important component of CITES monitoring programs for trade in sturgeon and caviar. To date, obtaining molecular evidence for distinguishing caviar from four closely related Eurasian sturgeon species Acipenser baerii (Siberian sturgeon), A. gueldenstaedtii (osetra), A. persicus (Persian sturgeon), A. naccarii (Italian sturgeon) remains problematic. Using approximately 2.3 kb of mtDNA sequence data (cytochrome b, NADH5, control region), we find this to be attributable to the polyphyletic nature of these mitochondrial DNA markers in the Russian sturgeon, A. gueldenstaedtii. Two mitochondrial lineages are present within this species: one is phylogenetically affiliated with A. persicus and A. naccarii, while the other clusters with A. baerii. These findings have a direct impact on molecular testing of commercial caviar and demonstrate the necessity of using large sample sizes when constructing forensic databases. Furthermore, the results affect current taxonomic designations for these species as well as hypotheses concerning their evolutionary origins.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sturgeon Conservation International, 331 West 57th Street, Suite 159, New York, NY, 10019, USA;

    Vadim J. Birstein

  2. Department of Entomology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, New York, 10024, USA;

    Phaedra Doukakis & R. DeSalle

  3. Department of Ecology/Evolutionary Biology, Graduate School of Arts and Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA

    Phaedra Doukakis

Authors
  1. Vadim J. Birstein
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  2. Phaedra Doukakis
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  3. R. DeSalle
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Correspondence to Vadim J. Birstein.

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Birstein, V.J., Doukakis, P. & DeSalle, R. Polyphyly of mtDNA lineages in the Russian sturgeon, Acipenser gueldenstaedtii: forensic and evolutionary implications. Conservation Genetics 1, 81–88 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010141906100

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010141906100

  • caviar
  • conservation
  • genetics
  • mtDNA
  • sturgeon