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Range-wide population genetic analysis of the endangered northern riffleshell mussel, Epioblasma torulosa rangiana (Bivalvia: Unionoida)

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Abstract

The northern riffleshell (Epioblasma torulosa rangiana) is a critically endangered unionoid species in need of conservation throughout its range. It is the only unionoid to be federally protected in both Canada and the U.S. We use sequences from two mtDNA genes and 15 microsatellite loci to assess genetic variation among 86 individuals from the four populations in the three remaining drainages in which E. t. rangiana is known to be reproducing. All of these populations are in formerly glaciated landscapes that emerged <10 kya. The mtDNA sequence data do not indicate significant geographic structure among the populations. However, allelic data from the microsatellite loci reveal highly significant population structuring. Individuals of E. t. rangiana can be assigned to their own river of origin with 98.8% accuracy. Significant isolation-by-distance occurs. This analysis will be useful to conservation managers in documenting the genetic structure, patterns of isolation, and genetic variability within and among populations of E. t. rangiana.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Species at Risk Program, the Canadian Government’s Interdepartmental Recovery Fund, and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada. For assistance with fieldwork, we thank J. Metcalfe-Smith, D. McGoldrick (Environment Canada), T. Smith (Western Pennsylvania Conservancy), R. Evans (The Nature Conservancy), E. Hoeh, R. Hoeh (Kent State University), and R. Villella (U.S. Geological Survey). All American samples were sequenced and genotyped at Iowa State University, Department of Ecology Evolution and Organismal Biology; thanks to B. Bowen, N. Valenzuela, and A. Bronikowski for assistance in facilitating the use of their labs. D. Woolnough, Iowa State University, for advice and assistance with GIS. From the Royal Ontario Museum, we thank A. Lathrop, K. Choffe, O. Haddrath, A. Ngo, and M. Spironello. Tissue collections were made under scientific collection permits issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Collections of the NRS from the Sydenham River were made in 2002 and 2003, before SARA regulations required federal permits through Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which came into effect in 2004.

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  1. Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S2C6

    David Thomas Zanatta & Robert W. Murphy

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Correspondence to David Thomas Zanatta.

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Zanatta, D.T., Murphy, R.W. Range-wide population genetic analysis of the endangered northern riffleshell mussel, Epioblasma torulosa rangiana (Bivalvia: Unionoida). Conserv Genet 8, 1393–1404 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-007-9290-6

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