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Development and application of a molecular sexing protocol in the climate change-sensitive American pika

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Abstract

Non-invasive sampling paired with molecular sexing provides a valuable tool for the study of elusive mammals, yet species-specific assays are required to ensure accurate identifications. The American pika (Ochotona princeps) is one example, having emerged as a focal mammalian species for studies of metapopulation dynamics and extinction risk in the face of climate change. Despite extensive study, knowledge of sex-specific patterns has been limited to small sample sizes given the need for live-trapping and field-based sexing. Here we describe a molecular sexing protocol designed to reliably determine sex from non-invasively collected hair. Our polymerase chain reaction-based method co-amplifies a male-specific sex-determining gene Y fragment and a species-specific autosomal microsatellite, the accuracy of which was validated on 15 internally-sexed individuals. Subsequent application to 157 hair samples demonstrated high rates of amplification success (96.0 %) and unambiguous sex determination (94.7 %), revealing a strong male-bias in the sample and one instance of inaccurate, field-based sex identification.

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Acknowledgments

Joanna Varner, Cheryl Blair and Karl Larsen provided samples of known sex. Funding was provided by an NSERC Discovery Grant #341711–07 (MR) and UBC Okanagan in the form of an Undergraduate Research Award from the Barber School of Arts and Sciences (CL), and an University Graduate Fellowship (KR).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada

    Clayton T. Lamb, Kelsey M. Robson & Michael A. Russello

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  1. Clayton T. Lamb
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  2. Kelsey M. Robson
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  3. Michael A. Russello
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Correspondence to Michael A. Russello.

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Lamb, C.T., Robson, K.M. & Russello, M.A. Development and application of a molecular sexing protocol in the climate change-sensitive American pika. Conservation Genet Resour 6, 17–19 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-013-0034-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-013-0034-2

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