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Dissection and Flat-mounting of the Threespine Stickleback Branchial Skeleton

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Morphological and genetic structuring in the Utah Lake sucker complex.

D D Cole¹, K E Mock, B L Cardall

¹Department of Watershed Sciences and The Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322-5210/5230, USA. dave.cole@aggiemail.usu.edu

Molecular Ecology

|December 11, 2008

Summary

Hybridization between endangered June suckers and Utah suckers in Utah Lake creates intermediate forms. Genetic analysis reveals slight population structure despite significant morphological variation, complicating conservation efforts for these unique fish.

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Area of Science:

Conservation genetics
Ichthyology
Ecology

Background:

The federally endangered June sucker (Chasmistes liorus), endemic to Utah Lake, faces population decline partly due to hybridization with the Utah sucker (Catostomus ardens).
Suckers in Utah Lake display significant external morphological variation, with intermediate forms blurring species identification due to hybridization.
Differentiating between June and Utah suckers is challenging due to overlapping morphological traits, impacting conservation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the morphological and genetic variation within the Utah Lake sucker complex.
To compare morphological analyses with genetic data (amplified fragment length polymorphism and microsatellite analyses).
To inform conservation strategies for the endangered June sucker and the Utah sucker complex.

Main Methods:

Morphological analysis focused on mouth characters differentiating feeding strategies (planktivory in June suckers, benthivory in Utah suckers).
Genetic variation assessed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and microsatellite markers.
Bayesian model-based genetic clustering was employed to detect population structure.

Main Results:

No deep genetic divergence was found between June and Utah sucker morphs.
Significant, though slight, population structuring was observed alongside substantial morphological variation.
Bayesian clustering identified two sucker populations, but these did not strongly align with morphological groups or marker systems.

Conclusions:

The Utah Lake sucker complex exhibits considerable morphological variation with limited genetic structuring, posing a conservation dilemma.
Conservation decisions must weigh focusing on the endangered June sucker morphotype versus conserving the broader morphotypic variation for evolutionary potential.
Understanding the interplay of morphology and genetics is crucial for effective management of this unique fish complex.