Molecular detection of northern leatherside chub (Lepidomeda copei) DNA in environmental samples

Authors

Joseph C. Dysthe, U.S. Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MTFollow
Kellie J. Carim, U.S. Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MTFollow
Thomas W. Franklin, U.S. Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MTFollow
Dave Kikkert, Stantec, Inc., Salt Lake City, UTFollow
Michael K. Young, U.S. Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MTFollow
Kevin S. McKelvey, U.S. Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MTFollow
Michael K. Schwartz, U.S. Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MTFollow

Abstract

The northern leatherside chub (Lepidomeda copei) is a cyprinid fish native to the Snake River, Green River, and Bonneville basins of the western United States. Population declines prompted the development of a multistate conservation agreement and strategy, which emphasized the need to reliably delineate its current distribution and monitor its status. To facilitate species monitoring, we developed a quantitative PCR assay to detect northern leatherside chub DNA in environmental samples. The assay consistently detected northern leatherside chub DNA in concentrations as low as 2 copies per reaction and did not amplify DNA of potentially sympatric fish species. The assay amplified a synthetic DNA template representing 3 congeneric species: White River spinedace (L. albivallis), Virgin spinedace, (L. mollispinis mollispinis), and Big Spring spinedace, (L. m. pratensis); however, none of these are sympatric with northern leatherside chub. Field tests of the assay accurately reproduced expected patterns of species occupancy.


La especie Lepidomeda copei es un pez ciprínido nativo de las cuencas del Río Snake, Río Green y del Lago Bonneville del oeste de los Estados Unidos. La disminución de su población impulsó el desarrollo de un acuerdo de conservación multi-estado, que enfatiza la necesidad de delinear con precisión su distribución actual y de monitorear su estado. Para facilitar el monitoreo de las especies, aplicamos la técnica cuantitativa de Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa (PCR, por sus siglas en inglés) que permitió detectar ADN de L. copei en muestras ambientales. La técnica detectó de manera consistente ADN de L. copei en concentraciones menores a 2 copias por reacción, sin amplificar ADN de otras especies de peces potencialmente simpátricas. La técnica amplificó un templado de ADN sintético que representa tres especies congenéres: L. albivallis, L. mollispinis mollispinis, y L. m. pratensis. Sin embargo, ninguna de estas especies es simpátrica con L. copei. Los muestreos de campo reprodujeron con precisión los patrones previstos en cuanto a la ocupación de las especies.

Recommended Citation

Dysthe, Joseph C.; Carim, Kellie J.; Franklin, Thomas W.; Kikkert, Dave; Young, Michael K.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; and Schwartz, Michael K. (2018) "Molecular detection of northern leatherside chub (Lepidomeda copei) DNA in environmental samples," Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 78: No. 1, Article 8.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol78/iss1/8