Genetic analysis of eastern Pacific seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi) from British Columbia and parts of Alaska using mitochondrial DNA and microsatellites ...

• Main Author: Burg, Theresa Marie
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2009
• Subjects: Phoca vitulina; Alaska
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0074811; https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0074811

In British Columbia the population of harbour seals, Phoca vitulina richardsi, has increased from 9,000 to 135,000 since their protection 25 years ago. Differences in pelage patterns and pupping times suggest that more than one population of harbour seals may be present in the eastern Pacific. Molecular analyses were used to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of harbour seals along the B.C. coast and in parts of Alaska. The allele frequency at seven microsatellite loci and the haplotypic diversity–– of the mitochondrial control region (D-loop) were examined. A 475 base pair fragment containing the tRNA proline and part of the mitochondrial control region was amplified and sequenced from 128 animals. Sixty variable sites defined 72 mtDNA haplotypes with pairwise nucleotide differences as high as 5%. Only 14 haplotypes were shared between two or more seals. Some of the more frequent haplotypes were unique to specific areas, while others were distributed over a broad geographic range. ...