Mitochondrial DNA Variation in Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, a Salamander with Extremely Low Allozyme Diversity

摘要: ation. Fifty-seven restriction sites were mapped for the 226 individuals sampled. Thirty-three of these polymorphic and together determined 15 different mtDNA haplotypes. Within-population mitochondrial variation is somewhat lower in hellbenders than other vertebrates. Between-population extremely high; F,, entire species 0.865. A past bottleneck followed by rapid evolution slow allozyme probably responsible levels allozymes this species. T HE hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, a large, permanently aquatic salamander found clear, spring-fed streams mountainous areas eastern United States. An electrophoretic study 24 loci from 12 populations sampled throughout range yielded surprising result that has very little (Merkle et al., 1977). Twenty-two monoallelic all populations, whereas Mdh-1 was polyallelic one population, Pt-4 showed multiple alleles two populations. Shaffer Breden (1989) also low large samples fromthe Gasconade River drainage Missouri. calculated average heterozygosity (H) proportion (P) Merkle al. (1977) data (H = 0.007 P 0.026) their own sample 0.019 0.095). Low genetic nontransforming salamanders have been attributed to population bottlenecks caused temporal instability habitats (Shaf