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An integrated genetic and morphological approach to clarify the conservation status of the threatened Italian endemic species Alburnus albidus (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae)

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Abstract

The Italian bleak, Alburnus albidus, is a freshwater species endemic of southern Italy, that was recently classified as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List, due to the impact of introduced species. In this study, a combined genetic (mitochondrial cyt b and nuclear ITS1 DNA markers) and morphometric approach was applied to five populations from the whole range of A. albidus. Data were compared with those for the alborella A. arborella, an introduced species native to northern Italy. The results indicate a dramatic threat to A. albidus, as 39% of the specimens examined are the result of hybridization with other introduced cyprinids, mainly A. arborella. Hybrid individuals suggest bi-directional hybridization, but introgressed individuals exclusively show A. albidus nuclear genomes and A. arborella mitochondrial haplotypes. Morphological data discriminate the two parental Alburnus but not their hybrids or introgressed individuals. Genetic variability between the species is greater than the morphological variability. Ofanto River shows the most compromised situation suggesting the occurrence of multiple introductions, while Agri and Trigno populations are the most conserved, and deserve priority conservation actions. Given this, an update of the conservation status is recommended.

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Acknowledgments

Fish sampling was authorized by the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea (Prot. n. 0008472 – 04/06/2012 – PNM-II), and carried out in agreement with relevant legislation (CEN EN 14011/2003 - Water quality - Sampling of fish with electricity). We thank Elisa Angiulli, Marco Tescari (Sapienza – University of Rome) and Andrea Fusari (A.Ge.I. – Agriculture and Fish Management) for their help with sample collection. Financial support for this work was provided by the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea (PNM-2011-0025424) and by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei as a fellowship to VM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology and Biotechnology Department, Sapienza - University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Anna Rita Rossi & Valentina Milana

  2. Biology Department, Tor Vergata - University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Domitilla Pulcini, Stefano Cataudella, Marco Martinoli & Lorenzo Tancioni

  3. Council for Research in Agriculture – Animal Production Centre, Monterotondo, RM, Italy

    Domitilla Pulcini

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  1. Anna Rita Rossi
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  2. Valentina Milana
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Correspondence to Valentina Milana.

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Rossi, A.R., Milana, V., Pulcini, D. et al. An integrated genetic and morphological approach to clarify the conservation status of the threatened Italian endemic species Alburnus albidus (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae). Hydrobiologia 770, 73–87 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2566-9

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