The Pennsylvania grotto sculpin: population genetics

• Main Authors: Luis Espinasa, Drake M. Smith, Julianna M. Lindquist
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pensoft Publishers 2021-04-01
• Series: Subterranean Biology
• Online Access: https://subtbiol.pensoft.net/article/60865/download/pdf/

The Pennsylvania grotto sculpin is known from just two caves of the Nippenose Valley in central Pennsylvania, USA. They exhibit emergent troglobitic morphological traits and are the second northern-most cave adapted fish in the world. Two mitochondrial (16S rRNA and D-loop gene) and one nuclear (S7 ribosomal protein gene intron) gene in both cave and epigean populations were sequenced. For the three markers, a large proportion of cave specimens possess unique haplotypes not found in their local surface counterparts, suggesting a vicariance in their evolutionary history. The cave population also has haplotypes from two separate lineages of surface sculpins of the Cottus cognatus/bairdii species complex. Since morphology, nuclear, and mitochondrial markers are not correlated among cave individuals, hybridization with introgression is suggested.