Within-river gene flow in the hellbender ( Cryptobranchus alleganiensis ) and implications for restorative release

摘要: Understanding how populations are genetically and demographically connected is beneficial for species management, since gene flow dispersal contribute to genetic diversity population persistence. For hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), an aquatic salamander experiencing dramatic declines in size, fine-scale (i.e. within river) patterns of not well understood. Previous findings indicate that habitat specialists exhibit extreme site fidelity low vagility, suggesting restricted among the several, discrete patches a river. Using 15 polymorphic microsatellite loci 497 hellbender samples from four Missouri rivers, we assessed order infer connectivity aid management. Results moderate levels variation (HO = 0.66–0.78) with little differentiation (avg. FST = 0.002) no evidence isolation by distance. Our data suggest has been extensive even separated distances greater than >100 km. These results useful especially terms making informed decisions regarding restorative releases captively propagated individuals.