The Pennsylvania grotto sculpin: population genetics

• Published in: Subterranean Biology
• Main Authors: Luis Espinasa, Drake M. Smith, Julianna M. Lindquist
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Pensoft Publishers 2021
• Subjects: Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Grotto; Cottus cognatus
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.38.60865; https://doaj.org/article/5f76e64f19f44ad9983831fec589db16

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.