Abstract
This paper reports about the occurrence of soft-muzzled trout in Montenegro. It was found only in the Zeta River, at three localities, always in low abundance. Results of genetic investigation on twelve microsatellite loci (i.e., high Fst and high heterozygozity values) as well as lack of hybridization with the putative brown trout unequivocally confirm that the soft-muzzled trout from the Zeta River is a species distinct from the putative brown (Salmo cf. farioides) and marble (Salmo marmoratus) trout that live in sympatry with it. This paper also confirms high genetic diversity of Zeta River soft - muzzled trout population. Habitat and feeding analyses revealed that soft-muzzled trout reduce the competition with syntopic putative brown trout by displacing as the bottom-dweller in their common type of habitat, as well as by narrowing its feeding niche and feeding dominantly with the benthic macroinvertebrates, the Gammarus shrimps as their far dominant feeding item. Results also revealed that they did not share the same habitat with marble trout. Due to this population low abundance and their importance on species level, Zeta River soft-muzzled trout conservation needs are urgent in terms of in situ protection and repopulation measures.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anonymus 1982. Rješenje o stavljanju pod zaštitu rijetkih, prorijedjenih, endemičnih i ugroŽenih biljnih i Životinjskih vrsta. Official Gazette of the Republic Montenegro 36/82.
Apostolidis A.P., Triantaphyllidis C., Kouvatsi A. & Economidis P.S. 1997. Mitochondrial DNA sequence variation and phylogeography among Salmo trutta L. (Greek brown trout) populations. Molec. Ecol. 6(6): 531–542. PMID: 9200828
Barquin J. & Death G. 2004. Patterns of invertebrate diversity in streams and freshwater springs in Northern Spain. Arch. Hydrobiol. 161(3): 329–349 DOI: 10:1127/0003-9136/2004/0161-0329
Belkhir K., Borsa P., Chikhi L., Raufaste N. & Bonhomme F. 1996–2004. GENETIX 4.05, logiciel sous Windows TM pour la ge’ne’tique des populations. Laboratoire Génome, Populations, Interactions, CNRS UMR 5000, Université de Montpellier II, Montpellier, France. URL: http://www.genetix.univmontp2.fr/genetix/intro.htm.
Berg L.S. 1908. Vorläufige Bemerkungen über die europäischasiatischen Samoniden, insbesondere die Gattung Thymallus. Annuaire du Musée Zoologique de l’Academie Imperiale des Sciences de St. Petersbourg 12: 500–514.
Bernatchez L. 2001. The evolutionary history of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) inferred from phylogeographic, nestedclade, and mismatch analyses of mitochondrial DNA variation. Evolution 55(2): 351–379. DOI: 10.1554/0014-3820(2001)055[0351:TEHOBT]2.0.CO;2
Bernatchez L., Guyomard R. & Bonhomme F. 1992. DNA sequence variation of the mitochondrial control region among geographically and morphologically remote European brown trout Salmo trutta populations. Molec. Ecol. 1(3):161–173. PMID: 1344992
Bonettini A.M. & Cantonati M. 1996. Macroinvertebrate assemblages of springs of the River Sarca catchment (Adamello-Brenta Regional Park, Trentino, Italy). - 1st European Symposium of Spring Ecology and Conservation, 6-10/3/1996, Münster, Germania.
Bowcock A.M., Ruiz-Linares A., Tomfohrde J., Minch E., Kidd J.R. & Cavalli-Sforza L.L. 1994. High resolution of human evolutionary trees with polymorphic microsatellites. Nature 31: 455–457. DOI: 10.1038/368455a0
Crivelli A.J. 1996. The freshwater fish endemic to the northern Mediterranean region: An action plan. Station Biologique de la Tour du Valat, Carmargue, 172 pp. ISBN: 2910368203
Drecun Đ., Knežević B., Filipović S., Petković S., Petković St. & Nedić D. 1985. Biološko-ribarstvena istraživanja rijeke Morače, njenih pritoka i rikavačkog jezera. Biološki institut, Titograd, 92 pp.
Dumnicka E., Galas J. & Koperski P. 2007. Benthic invertebrates in karst springs? Does substratum or location define communities? Int. Rev. Hydrobiol. 92(4–5): 452–464. DOI: 10.1002/iroh.200610991
Excoffier L. & Lischer H.E.L. 2010. Arlequin suite ver 3.5: A new series of programs to perform population genetics analyses under Linux and Windows. Molec. Ecol. Resour. 10(3): 564–567. DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-0998.2010.02847.x
Fochetti R., Amici I. & Argano R. 2003. Seasonal changes and selectivity in the diet of brown trout in the River Nera (Central Italy). J. Freshwat. Ecol. 18(3): 437–444. DOI: 10.1080/02705060.2003.9663979
Fumetti S.V. 2008. Distribution, discharge and disturbance: new insights into faunal spring ecology. Doctoral Thessis, Philosophisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universit ät Basel. URL: http://edoc.unibas.ch/diss/DissB 8611
García de Jalón D. & Barceló E. 1987. Estudio sobre la alimentación de la trucha común en ríos pirenaicos. Ecología 1: 263–269.
Giller P.S. & Malmqvist B. 1998. The biology of stream and rivers, pp. 1–296. In: Crawley M.J., Little C., Southwood T.R.E. & Ulfstrand S. (eds), Biology of Habitats Series, Oxford University Press, Oxford. ISBN: 0198549776
Goudet J. 2001. FSTAT, a program to estimate and test gene diversities and Fixation indices (version 2.9.3.2). http://www.unil.ch/izea/softwares/fstat.html
Greenberg L., Svendsen P. & Harby A. 1996. Availability of microhabitats and their use by brown trout (Salmo trutta) and grayling (Thymallus thymallus) in the river Vojman, Sweden. Regul. Rivers: Res. & Manage. 12(2–3): 287–303. DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1646(199603)12:2/3<287::AIDRRR396> 3.0.CO;2-3
Grossman G.D. & Freeman M.C. 1987. Microhabitat use in astream fish assemblage. J. Zool. (London) 212(1): 151–176. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1987.tb05121.x
Hadžišće S. 1960. Zur Kenntnis der Gattung Salmothymus Berg. Publikacija Zavoda za ribarstvo na NRM - Skopje 3: 39–50.
Haugen T.O. & Rygg T.A. 1996. Food- and habitat-segregation in sympatric grayling and brown trout. J. Fish Biol. 49(2): 301–318. DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1996.tb00025.x
Heggenes J. & Saltveit S.J. 1990. Seasonal and spatial microhabitat selection and segregation in young Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., and brown trout, S. trutta L., in a Norwegian river. J. Fish Biol. 36(5): 707–720. DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1990.tb04325.x
Hunt P.C. & Jones J.W. 1972. The food of broun trout in Ilyn Alaw, Anglesey, North Wales. J. Fish Biol. 4(2): 333–352. DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1972.tb05682.x
IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Version 2010.4.
Ivanović B. 1973. Ichthyofauna of Skadar Lake. Institute for Biological and Medical Research in Montenegro, Biological Station Titograd. Titograd, 146 pp.
Janković D. 1961. Taksonomska i ekološka ispitivanja na mekousnoj pastrmci iz reke Bune. Zbornik radova 5 (4–5). Biološki institut N.R. Srbije, Beograd, 31 pp.
Johnsson J.I., Sernland E. & Blixt M. 2001. Sex-specific aggression and antipredator behaviour in young brown trout. Ethology 107(7): 587–599. DOI: 10.1046/j.1439-0310.2001.00682.x
Kara C. & Alp A. 2005. Feeding habits and diet composition of brown trout (Salmo trutta) in the upper streams of River Ceyhan and River Euphrates in Turkey. Turk. J. Vet. Anim. Sci. 29(2): 417–428.
Karaman S. 1933. Novi prilozi poznavanju nasih salmonida. Ribarski List, Sarajevo 7: 1–3.
Karaman S. 1966. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Salmoniden Südeuropas. Hydrobiologia 28(1): 1–41. DOI: 10.1007/BF00144936
Knežević B. 1985. Fishes of Lake Skadar. General Introduction. Survey on Previous and Recent Investigations, pp. 311–316. In: Karaman G.S. & Beeton A.M. (eds), The Biota and Limnology of Lake Skadar. Univerzitet “Veljko Vlahović”, Institu za biološka i medicinska istraživanja u SRCG, Biološki zavod, Smithsonian Institution, Center for Great Lakes Studies, Univ. Wisconsin - Titograd, Washington D.C. & Milwaukee.
Langella O. 2002. Populations, 1.2.28 (12/5/2002) Copyright (C) 1999, Olivier Langella, CNRS UPR9034. http://www.pge.cnrs-gif.fr/bioinfo/populations
Lerceteau-Köhler E. & Weiss S. 2006. Development of a multiplex PCR microsatellite assay in brown trout Salmo trutta, and its potential application for the genus. Aquaculture 258(1–4): 641–645. DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2006.04.028
López-álvarez J.V. 1984. Observaciones sobre la alimentación natural de la trucha común (Salmo trutta fario L.) en algunos ríos de la Cuenca del Duero. Limnética 1: 247–255.
MacArthur R.H. & Lewin R. 1967. The limiting similarity, convergency, and divergence of existing species. American Naturalist 101(921): 377–385. DOI: 10.1086/282505
Marić D. 1995. Endemic fish species of Montenegro. Biol. Conserv. 72(2): 187–194. DOI: 10.1016/0006-3207(94)00081-Z
Miller S.A., Dykes D.D. & Polesky H.F. 1988. A simple salting out procedure from human nucleated cells. Nucleic Acids Research 16(3): 1215. PMID: 3344216
Montori A., Tierno De Figueroa J.M. & Santos X. 2006. The diet of the Brown Trout Salmo trutta (L.) during the reproductive period: Size-related and sexual effects. Int. Rev. Hydrobiol. 91(5): 438–450. DOI: 10.1002/iroh.200510899
National Agency for Nature Protection of Montenegro 2003–2005. Yearly report on monitoring of the protected animal and plant species in Montenegro.
Neveu A. & Thibault M. 1977. Comportament alimentaire d’une population sauvage de truite fario (Salmo trutta L.) dans un ruisseau des Pyrènèes atlantiques, Le Lissuraga. Annales d’Hydrobiologie 8(2): 111–128.
Pianka E.R. 1973. The structure of lizard communities. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 4: 53–74. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.es.04.110173. 000413
Ražnatović A. & Dhora D. 2001. Fish, pp. 41–42. In: Pulević V., Hadžiablahović S., Kasom G., Rakočević-Nedović J.,Nikčević S., Pešić V., Ražnatović A., Ćirović R., Saveljić D., Bušković V., Dhora D., Kashta L., Sokoli, F., Haxhiu I., Bino T., Bego F., Smajlaj R., Rakaj M. (eds), Biodiversity data base of the Shkodra/Skadar lake (Checklist of species), The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Project: Promotion of Networks and Exchanges in the Countries of the South Eastern Europe, Activity 3. 2. 1. Skodra, Podgorica.
Riley W.D., Ives M.J., Pawson M.G. & Maxwell D.L. 2006. Seasonal variation in habitat use by salmon, Salmo salar, trout, Salmo trutta and grayling, Thymallus thymallus, in a chalk stream. Fish. Manage. Ecol. 13(4): 221–236 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2400.2006.00496.x
Snoj A., Bogut I. & Susnik S. 2008. Evidnece of genetically distinct population of Vrljika softmouth trout Salmo obtusirostris Heckel evolved by vicariance. J. Fish Biol. 72(8): 1945–1959. DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2008.01816.x
Snoj A., Melkič E., Sušnik S., Muhamedagić S. & Dovč P. 2002. DNA phylogeny supports revised classification of Salmothymus obtusirostris. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 77(3): 399–411. DOI: 10.1046/j.1095-8312.2002.00130.x
Sušnik S., Snoj A., Wilson I.F., Mrdak D. & Weiss S. 2007. Historical demography of brown trout (Salmo trutta) in the Adriatic drainage including the putative S. letnica endemic to Lake Ohrid. Molec. Phylogen. Evol. 44(1): 63–76. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2006.08.021
Šorić V. 1990. Ichthyofauna of the Ohrid-Drim-Skadar system. Ichthyologia 22(1): 31–43.
Šundić M. & Pešić V. 2007. Seasonal changes in the abundance of benthic assemblages in the spring on Vranjina island (Skadar Lake National Park). Glasnik Republičkog Zavoda za zaštitu prirode i Prirodnjačkog Muzeja 12: 125–130.
Tutin T.G., Heywood V.H., Burges N.A., Moore D.M., Valentine D.H., Walters S.M. & Webb D.A. 1968. Flora Europaea, Vol. II, Rosaceae - Umbelliferae. Cambridge University Press, Great Britain, 455 pp. ISBN-10: 052106662X
Tutin T.G., Heywood V.H., Burges N.A., Moore D.M., Valentine D.H., Walters S.M. & Webb D.A. 1993. Flora Europaea, Vol. I, Second edition. Psilotaceae - Platanaceae. Cambridge University Press, Great Britain, 629 pp. ISBN-10: 052141007X
Vondracek B. & Longanecker D.R. 1993. Habitat selection by rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in a California stream: implications for the instream flow incremental methodology. Ecol. Freshwater Fish 2(4): 173–186. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0633.1993.tb00100.x
Wright S. 1978. Evolution and the Genetics of Populations, Vol. 4. Variability within and among Batural Populations. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 590 pp. ISBN-10: 0226910415
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mrdak, D., Nikolić, V., Tošić, A. et al. Molecular and ecological features of the soft-muzzled trout Salmo obtusirostris (Heckel, 1852) in the Zeta River, Montenegro. Biologia 67, 222–233 (2012). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-011-0150-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-011-0150-y