Genetic Identification and Implications of Another Invasive Species of Dreissenid Mussel in the Great Lakes

1992 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 1501-1506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernie May ◽  
J. Ellen Marsden
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Acute Angle ◽  
Shell Morphology ◽  
Genetic Identification ◽  
Species Identity ◽  
Allozyme Loci ◽  
Dreissenid Mussel

In this paper we report the discovery and implications of a second nonindigenous species of dreissenid mussel in the Great Lakes. This species was detected in a routine screening of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) for allozyme variability. The two species differ at allozyme loci (Nei's I = 0.30 using 12 loci) and in their shell morphology (the second species lacks the acute angle, or carina, between the ventral and dorsal surfaces of the shell of the zebra mussel). As a working name, at least until its species identity is discovered, we have called the new species the "quagga mussel." Currently, this mussel occurs in Lake Ontario in equal frequencies with D. polymorpha. Its low frequency of occurence in neighboring waters (e.g. the Erie canal, Niagara River, and outlet to Onondaga Lake) and lack of occurrence in any of the other Great Lakes suggest that (1) its point of introduction to North America was in Lake Ontario and (2) its range may expand.

A genetic and morphological comparison of shallow- and deep-water populations of the introduced dreissenid bivalve Dreissena bugensis

1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (7) ◽  
pp. 1269-1276 ◽  
Author(s):  
W Trevor Claxton ◽  
Anthony B Wilson ◽  
Gerry L Mackie ◽  
Elizabeth G Boulding
Keyword(s):  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Mitochondrial Gene ◽  
Shell Height ◽  
Shell Morphology ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Morphological Comparison ◽  
Separate Species ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Shell Mass ◽  
Dreissenid Mussel

The discovery of a morphologically distinct dreissenid mussel in the profundal zone of Lake Erie suggests the presence of either a third dreissenid mussel species in the Great Lakes or a previously unknown morphological phenotype of an existing dreissenid species. We examined the morphometrics and molecular systematics of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and the profundal and epilimnetic forms of the quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis) from Lakes Erie and Ontario. In an attempt to resolve the taxonomic status of the profundal form of the quagga mussel, we sequenced a 710 base pair fragment of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I mitochondrial gene of the two forms of the quagga mussel. No nucleotide differences were found, supporting the hypothesis that the profundal form of the quagga mussel is a phenotype of D. bugensis, not a separate species. In contrast, the second and third principal component scores from an analysis of the morphological variables shell length, shell width, shell height, and shell mass separated the epilimnetic and profundal forms of the quagga mussel into two groups, but grouped zebra mussels from all depths together. The most parsimonious explanation for our results is that D. bugensis shows plasticity in shell morphology with respect to depth, whereas D. polymorpha does not.

Physiological and Taxonomic Separation of Two Dreissenid Mussels in the Laurentian Great Lakes

1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (11) ◽  
pp. 2294-2297 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Domm ◽  
R.W. McCauley ◽  
E. Kott ◽  
J. D. Ackerman
Keyword(s):  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Shell Morphology ◽  
Survival Times ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Average Survival ◽  
Thermal Histories ◽  
Allozyme Loci ◽  
Ecological Differences

Physiological techniques were used to separate two related Dreissena species initially established by electrophoretic and morphological characteristics (May and Marsden. 1992. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 49: 1501–1506). Samples of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and "quagga" mussels (provisionally either Dreissena polymorpha andrusovi or Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) of the same size growing side by side were collected in Lake Erie, thereby ensuring that they had identical thermal histories. Upper lethal temperatures of zebra mussels were significantly higher than those of quagga mussels. The critical thermal maxima of zebra mussels acclimatized at 20 °C were half a degree higher than those of quagga mussels. The average survival times of zebra mussels held at a constant lethal temperature were also significantly longer. These results indicate that in addition to differences in allozyme loci and shell morphology, these two dreissenids may be distinguished by important physiological differences in their thermal resistance; moreover, there may be important ecological differences associated with the different species of dreissenids in North America.

Colonization, Ecology, and Population Structure of the "Quagga'' Mussel (Bivalvia: Dreissenidae) in the Lower Great Lakes

1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (11) ◽  
pp. 2305-2314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward L. Mills ◽  
Ron M. Dermott ◽  
Edward F. Roseman ◽  
Donna Dustin ◽  
Eric Mellina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
New York State ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Quebec City ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Eastern Basin ◽  
St Lawrence River

An invasive dreissenid mussel given the working name of "quagga" has a present (spring 1993) distribution in the Laurentian Great Lakes from the western basin of Lake Erie to Quebec City. In Lake Erie, quaggas were collected as early as 1989 and now are most common in the eastern basin. In Lakes Erie and Ontario, proportions of quaggas increased with depth and decreasing water temperature. In the eastern basin of Lake Erie, quaggas outnumbered zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) by 14 to 1 in deeper waters (>20 m). In Lake Ontario, quaggas were observed at depths as great as 130 m, and both quagga and zebra mussel were found to survive at depths (>50 m) where temperatures rarely exceed 5 °C. Quaggas were sparse or absent along inland waterways and lakes of New York State. Mean shell size of quagga mussel was larger than that of zebra mussel at sites in the Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River. The largest quaggas (38 mm) were observed in the St. Lawrence River at Cape Vincent.

Zebra Mussels as Biomonitors for Organic Contaminants in the Lower Great Lakes

1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 411-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Comba ◽  
Janice L. Metcalfe-Smith ◽  
Klaus L.E. Kaiser
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Organic Contaminants ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Organic Contamination ◽  
Contamination Levels ◽  
St Lawrence River

Abstract Zebra mussels were collected from 24 sites in Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River between 1990 and 1992. Composite samples of whole mussels (15 sites) or soft tissues (9 sites) were analyzed for residues of organochlo-rine pesticides and PCBs to evaluate zebra mussels as biomonitors for organic contaminants. Mussels from most sites contained measurable quantities of most of the analytes. Mean concentrations were (in ng/g, whole mussel dry weight basis) 154 ΣPCB, 8.4 ΣDDT, 3.5 Σchlordane, 3.4 Σaldrin, 1.4 ΣBHC, 1.0 Σendosulfan, 0.80 mirex and 0.40 Σchlorobenzene. Concentrations varied greatly between sites, i.e., from 22 to 497 ng/g for ΣPCB and from 0.08 to 11.6 ng/g for ΣBHC, an indication that mussels are sensitive to different levels of contamination. Levels of ΣPCB and Σendosulfan were highest in mussels from the St. Lawrence River, whereas mirex was highest in those from Lake Ontario. Overall, mussels from Lake Erie were the least contaminated. These observations agree well with the spatial contaminant trends shown by other biomoni-toring programs. PCB congener class profiles in zebra mussels are also typical for nearby industrial sources, e.g., mussels below an aluminum casting plant contained 55% di-, tri- and tetrachlorobiphenyls versus 31% in those upstream. We propose the use of zebra mussels as biomonitors of organic contamination in the Great Lakes.

A probabilistic assessment of the impairment status of areas of concern in the Laurentian great lakes: How far are we from delisting the Hamilton Harbour, Lake Ontario, Canada?

2021 ◽  
pp. 101271
Author(s):  
Ariola Visha ◽  
Alexander Lau ◽  
Cindy Yang ◽  
Satyendra P. Bhavsar ◽  
David Depew ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Laurentian Great Lakes ◽  
Probabilistic Assessment ◽  
Hamilton Harbour ◽  
Areas Of Concern

20. The Description to Look Down on All Opposition”: The Remains of HMS St. Lawrence

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron Styba
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Balance Of Power ◽  
War Of 1812 ◽  
Western Hemisphere ◽  
Nuclear Bomb ◽  
Joint Investigation ◽  
Queen's University ◽  
Parks Canada

In one of the most ignominious wars in history, a combined force of British and Canadian soldiers, sailors and civilians constructed the largest wooden warship ever built in the western hemisphere. Engaged with the Americans in a desperate game of cat-and-mouse upon Lake Ontario, the massive warship HMS St. Lawrence swung the balance of power firmly in favour of the British and thereby hastened the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, bringing the War of 1812 to a sputtering halt.This colossal warship, over 200 feet long, crewed by 700 and carrying 112 cannon, was completed at Kingston, Ontario in little over 9 months. Patrolling Lake Ontario, HMS St. Lawrence immediately caused the Americans to flee to their harbour. Astoundingly, and in a very Canadian fashion, she never fired a shot in combat.After the war ended, years of disrepair and dereliction left HMS St. Lawrence as a hulk of her former self. Sold to a local entrepreneur for a measly £25, she found herself towed to a location near Queen’s University. Mysteriously, she then disappeared from history. After the consideration of several theories, the hope is that this presentation, based upon the research conducted in a joint investigation by Parks Canada, the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes and Queen’s University, will help determine the fate of this “nuclear bomb of her age.”This presentation will outline the fascinating origins of HMS St. Lawrence, how she was archaeological documented, what the investigation tells us, and why investigating naval heritage is a worthy undertaking.

scholarly journals SNP Markers as a Successful Molecular Tool for Assessing Species Identity and Geographic Origin of Trees in the Economically Important South American Legume Genus Dipteryx

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eurídice N Honorio Coronado ◽  
Céline Blanc-Jolivet ◽  
Malte Mader ◽  
Carmen R García-Dávila ◽  
David Aldana Gomero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Markers ◽  
Country Of Origin ◽  
Geographic Origin ◽  
Snp Markers ◽  
Genetic Identification ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Species Identity ◽  
Accurate Identification ◽  
Genetic Clusters ◽  
Assignment Success

Abstract Dipteryx timber has been heavily exploited in South America since 2000s due to the increasing international demand for hardwood. Developing tools for the genetic identification of Dipteryx species and their geographical origin can help to promote legal trading of timber. A collection of 800 individual trees, belonging to 6 different Dipteryx species, was genotyped based on 171 molecular markers. After the exclusion of markers out of Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium or with no polymorphism or low amplification, 83 nuclear, 29 chloroplast, 13 mitochondrial single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and 2 chloroplast and 5 mitochondrial INDELS remained. Six genetic groups were identified using Bayesian Structure analyses of the nuclear SNPs, which corresponded to the different Dipteryx species collected in the field. Seventeen highly informative markers were identified as suitable for species identification and obtained self-assignment success rates to species level of 78–96%. An additional set of 15 molecular markers was selected to determine the different genetic clusters found in Dipteryx odorata and Dipteryx ferrea, obtaining self-assignment success rates of 91–100%. The success to assign samples to the correct country of origin using all or only the informative markers improved when using the nearest neighbor approach (69–92%) compared to the Bayesian approach (33–80%). While nuclear and chloroplast SNPs were more suitable for differentiating the different Dipteryx species, mitochondrial SNPs were ideal for determining the genetic clusters of D. odorata and D. ferrea. These 32 selected SNPs will be invaluable genetic tools for the accurate identification of species and country of origin of Dipteryx timber.

Invasion of Lake Ontario by the Ponto–Caspian predatory cladoceran Cercopagis pengoi

1999 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugh J MacIsaac ◽  
Igor A Grigorovich ◽  
James A Hoyle ◽  
Norman D Yan ◽  
Vadim E Panov
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Ballast Water ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Resting Eggs ◽  
The Body ◽  
Population Densities ◽  
Exchange Programs ◽  
Neva Estuary ◽  
Cercopagis Pengoi ◽  
Source Populations

Cercopagis pengoi, a waterflea native to the Ponto-Caspian region, was discovered during 1998 in Lake Ontario. Individuals were found throughout the lake during summer snagged on sportfishing lines. The population included parthenogenetic (92%) and sexual (2%) females and males (6%). Cercopagis has a very long caudal appendage that is more than five times the body length and terminates in a distinctive loop. Females and males from Lake Ontario were significantly smaller than individuals from the Neva Estuary, Baltic Sea. In Eurasia, C. pengoi occurs in relatively warm fresh and brackish waters (0-14‰) at population densities usually <3000 individuals·m-3; mean and maximum population densities in Lake Ontario were 170 and 322 individuals·m-3, respectively. The presence of females with resting eggs indicates that Cercopagis will likely establish in Lake Ontario. As with other recently introduced invertebrates, Cercopagis likely was transported to the Great Lakes in ballast water from eastern Europe. The rapid influx of Ponto-Caspian species into the Great Lakes warrants further study including identification of source populations, mechanisms of dispersal, impacts on recipient ecosystems, and efficacy of ballast water exchange programs.

Tetrasomic inheritance and chromosome pairing behaviour in the naturally occurring autotetraploid Heuchera grossulariifolia (Saxifragaceae)

Genome ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 655-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul G. Wolf ◽  
Pamela S. Soltis ◽  
Douglas E. Soltis
Keyword(s):  
Chromosome Pairing ◽  
Meiotic Chromosome ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Small Chromosome ◽  
Tetrasomic Inheritance ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Chromatid Segregation ◽  
Marker Loci ◽  
Allozyme Loci ◽  
Pairing Behaviour

Inheritance patterns at four allozyme loci and chromosome pairing behaviour at diakinesis were examined in the naturally occurring autotetraploid Heuchera grossulariifolia. Segregation patterns for Tpi, Pgi, Pgm-2, and Lap deviated significantly from all possible disomic models. All patterns were consistent with tetrasomic inheritance of these marker loci. No chromatid segregation was detected electrophoretically. Meiotic chromosome configurations at diakinesis in 45 cells were compared with a previously published model to test for autopolyploid-like chromosome pairing. Using the observed chiasma frequencies, the frequency of quadrivalents was consistent with the expectations for an autotetraploid. We suggest that the low frequency of quadrivalents at diakinesis in Heuchera grossulariifolia is due to small chromosome size, which results in a low chiasma frequency.Key words: autopolyploidy, tetrasomic inheritance, chromosome pairing, isozyme genetics, Heuchera.

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