Morphometric and Genetic Analysis of the Utah Lake Sucker Complex
Location
Space Dynamics Laboratory
Event Website
http://water.usu.edu/
Start Date
3-25-2004 10:45 AM
End Date
3-25-2004 10:50 AM
Description
The endangered June sucker (Chasmistes liorus) is a lakesucker endemic and unique to Utah Lake, UT with a complex evolutionary and nomenclatural history. Its population decline has resulted from degraded water quality and flow alterations (reservoirs and irrigation), competition with and predation by nonnative fish species, commercial fishing, the killing of adults during spawning runs, and hybridization with Utah sucker (Catostomus ardens), the only other native species persisting in Utah Lake. Genetic (AFLP) analysis of wild Utah Lake suckers (June sucker, Utah sucker, and their hybrids) spawning in the Provo River reveals no evidence of strong population structuring. Morphometric analysis provides quantification of morphological and meristic characteristics traditionally used to differentiate between June suckers and Utah suckers. Comparison of the results of the AFLP analysis with those of the morphometric analysis reveals a low level of detectable genetic difference (with neutral molecular markers) between June sucker and Utah sucker morphotypes of Provo River spawners in Utah Lake.
Morphometric and Genetic Analysis of the Utah Lake Sucker Complex
Space Dynamics Laboratory
The endangered June sucker (Chasmistes liorus) is a lakesucker endemic and unique to Utah Lake, UT with a complex evolutionary and nomenclatural history. Its population decline has resulted from degraded water quality and flow alterations (reservoirs and irrigation), competition with and predation by nonnative fish species, commercial fishing, the killing of adults during spawning runs, and hybridization with Utah sucker (Catostomus ardens), the only other native species persisting in Utah Lake. Genetic (AFLP) analysis of wild Utah Lake suckers (June sucker, Utah sucker, and their hybrids) spawning in the Provo River reveals no evidence of strong population structuring. Morphometric analysis provides quantification of morphological and meristic characteristics traditionally used to differentiate between June suckers and Utah suckers. Comparison of the results of the AFLP analysis with those of the morphometric analysis reveals a low level of detectable genetic difference (with neutral molecular markers) between June sucker and Utah sucker morphotypes of Provo River spawners in Utah Lake.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/runoff/2004/AllPosters/16