Genetic characterization of northern snakehead (Channa argus) populations in China using microsatellite markers

• DOI: 10.1016/j.bse.2012.02.024
• Publication Date: 2012-03-22T00:59:42Z
• Authors: Xiaolei Zhuo; Risheng Liang; Yanfeng Chen; Guiju Huang; Dahui Yu; Jixing Zou
• Keywords: Snakehead

Abstract Five variable microsatellite loci were used to investigate genetic characterization of northern snakehead populations in China. A total of 260 fish were genotyped representing eight populations. There were 95 alleles found at the five microsatellite loci, and 24 were private alleles. The frequency of these private alleles was very low. The average number of observed alleles in each population ranged from 5.60 to 11.40, and the mean number of effective alleles ranged from 3.66 to 6.67. The average observed heterozygosity (HO) and expected heterozygosity (HE) in the eight populations ranged from 0.626 to 0.800 and from 0.703 to 0.846. Significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg were found in the eight populations at most of the microsatellite loci. Results from UPGMA analysis indicated that the eight populations could be divided into five major clusters. These results are useful for the evaluation and conservation of the northern snakehead in China. In order to prevent the alleles from extinction and conserve the genetic resource, we should strengthen the conservation and supervision of wild northern snakehead resources and forbid overfishing in the natural waters.