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Microsatellite loci for the invasive colonial hydrozoan Cordylophora caspia
Citation:
Schable, N. A., A. M. Kuenzi, C. A. Drake, N. C. Folino-Rorem, AND J. A. DARLING. Microsatellite loci for the invasive colonial hydrozoan Cordylophora caspia. Molecular Ecology Resources. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA, 8:968-970, (2008).
Impact/Purpose:
EERD has initiated a research effort to develop tools to detect morphologically cryptic NIAS, understand transport pathways and secondary spread of invasive species, and assess patterns and environmental influences on hybridization between native and invading taxa. A primary objective of this research is to evaluate the relative contributions of coastal versus long-distance ballast mediated introductions, and to differentiate secondary introductions via ballast transport from post-introduction range expansion.The study includes targeted screening of ballast (from international and coastal traffic) and population genetic surveys for species of concern to determine whether San Francisco Bay is acting as a local source pool for secondary spread (via ship and/or current transport) to other west coast estuaries. Target organisms include Spartina alterniflora,which has disrupted Pacific Coast ecosystem processes and threatens endemic cordgrass species due to competition and hybridization, as well as globally significant invaders such as European green crab (Carcinus maenas) and the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). In a related study, EERD researchers are assessing the use of DNA identification tools for early detection and monitoring of invasive species in high risk ports across the Great Lakes.
Description:
Cordylophora caspia, a colonial hydrozoan native to the Ponto-Caspian region, has become a common invader of both fresh and brackish water ecosystems of North America and Europe. Here we describe 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci for this species. Preliminary analyses indicate that population sub-structure may contribute to departures from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. In addition, the failure of these loci to amplify consistently in Cordylophora samples known to be genetically distant from those utilized in the current study indicates the presence of cryptic diversity within the taxon.