DOCSLIB.ORG

University of Florida Thesis Or Dissertation Formatting

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
University of Florida Thesis Or Dissertation Formatting RISK-BASED APPROACH TO EVALUATE ALLIGATOR GAR ATRACTOSTEUS SPATULA AQUACULTURE IN FLORIDA By LAUREN N. LAPHAM A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2019 © 2019 Lauren N. Lapham To my family ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank the members of my supervisory committee, Drs. Jeff Hill, Quenton Tuckett, and Josh Patterson, for their support and guidance with my research, scientific writing, and professional development. Thanks also to my professors for their guidance and education in the classroom. I also thank those who assisted in my research, the project team and stakeholders from the Florida Aquaculture Association, Florida Tropical Fish Farms Association, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oklahoma Division of Wildlife Conservation, University of Florida, and U.S. Geological Survey, who were essential to the completion of this research. I thank the project team, Jeff Hill, Quenton Tuckett, Josh Patterson, and Allison Durland Donahou, for their involvement and input. In addition, I thank my family and friends for their continued support and encouragement. I am particularly grateful to my parents and grandparents for their support of my education. Funding for this project came from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The UF/IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory, director Craig Watson, provided facilities for the stakeholder panel meeting. I especially thank the grant management team, Kristin Summers, Sarah Funk, and Kelly Gestring (FWC); also for assistance, David Boozer of the Florida Tropical Fish Farms Association, Tiffany Conner of the Florida Aquaculture Association, and Chelsea Crandall (UF). Finally, I am grateful for and thank the faculty, staff, and students at the UF/IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory for their support. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. 4 LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ 7 LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... 8 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................. 9 ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 12 2 METHODS .............................................................................................................. 16 Biological Synopsis ................................................................................................. 16 Risk Screening ........................................................................................................ 17 Generic Analysis ..................................................................................................... 21 3 RESULTS ............................................................................................................... 29 Biological Synopsis ................................................................................................. 29 Alligator Gar Atractosteus spatula Biological Synopsis .................................... 34 Classification .............................................................................................. 34 Distribution ................................................................................................. 43 Biology ....................................................................................................... 58 Control ....................................................................................................... 65 Potential Florida Distribution ...................................................................... 66 Potential Impact ......................................................................................... 73 Risk Screening ........................................................................................................ 84 Generic Analysis ..................................................................................................... 87 Stakeholder Workshop and Generic Analysis .................................................. 87 Stakeholder Workshop Evaluation ................................................................... 94 4 DISCUSSION ....................................................................................................... 114 Data Gaps and Research Recommendations ....................................................... 118 Management Implications and Risk Mitigation ...................................................... 118 APPENDIX A STAKEHOLDER GENERIC ANALYSIS WORKSHEET ....................................... 122 5 B WORKSHOP EVALUATION FORM ..................................................................... 126 LIST OF REFERENCES ............................................................................................. 128 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .......................................................................................... 140 6 LIST OF TABLES Table page 2-1 Stakeholder panel members’ affiliation and experience. Panel members were not compensated or provided with travel funds by the project team for their participation ........................................................................................................ 26 2-2 Project team, affiliations, and title/expertise ....................................................... 27 2-3 Stakeholder presentations, presenters, and affiliations ...................................... 28 3-1 FISK scores for three assessors of Alligator Gar aquaculture in Florida (mean = 4; Δ = 2). The score is the overall score of each assessor, with the overall scores the sum of the scores in each section (Biogeography/Historical (1.01 to 3.05) and Biology and Ecology (3.01 to 8.05)). Scores <1 indicate low risk, scores ≥ 1 and ≤10.25 indicate medium risk ....................................................... 96 3-2 FISK version 2 assessment for Alligator Gar for Florida. The Q ID column corresponds to question identification codes in FISK. Answer codes are N = no, Y = yes, and ? = don’t know and are separated to show answers, justification, and certainty of the two independent assessors. Certainty codes are 1 = very uncertain, 2 = moderately uncertain, 3 = moderately certain, and 4 = very certain ................................................................................................... 98 3-3 Breakout groups and overall risk assessment results. Oponions different within groups where there are multiple risk ratings or certainty values. The composition of breakout groups differed for the two sections (establishment and consequences). Risk levels are H = High, M = Medium, and L = Low. Theoverall risk of establishment is the lower of the four ratings and the overall risk of consequences is the highest rating between environmental and economic (unless both are low, then social/political). The ORP is the average of establishment and consequences, rounded up. Certainty levels are as follows: VU = very uncertain, RU = reasonably uncertain, MC = moderately certain, RC = reasonably certain, and VC = very certain .................................. 112 3-4 Results of the evaluation of the stakeholder risk assessment workshop. All participation was anonymous, with seven attendees providing answers following the completion of the workshop ......................................................... 113 7 LIST OF FIGURES Figure page 3-1 Alligator Gar........................................................................................................ 34 3-2 Juvenile Alligator Gar of normal and leucistic coloration .................................... 37 3-3 Juvenile Alligator Gar ......................................................................................... 38 3-4 Adult Alligator Gar .............................................................................................. 38 3-5 Adult world record Alligator Gar, 2.6 m, 148 kg .................................................. 39 3-6 Platinum (or snow) Alligator Gar ......................................................................... 41 3-7 Map of North American range occurrences of Alligator Gar, including the native range ........................................................................................................ 44 3-8 Known distribution of established Alligator Gar populations in the United States ................................................................................................................. 44 3-9 Map of sustaining, historic, remanent, and stocked populations of Alligator Gar throughout their native range ....................................................................... 45 3-10 Coloration of juvenile Alligator Gar ..................................................................... 62 3-11 Alligator Gar CLIMATCH source map ................................................................. 68 3-12 Alligator Gar CLIMATCH target map in Florida................................................... 69 3-13 RAMP map of climate match for Alligator
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Advances in Conservation and Management of the Alligator Gar: a Synthesis of Current Knowledge and Introduction to a Special Section
    North American Journal of Fisheries Management © 2019 American Fisheries Society ISSN: 0275-5947 print / 1548-8675 online DOI: 10.1002/nafm.10369 SPECIAL SECTION: ALLIGATOR GAR Advances in Conservation and Management of the Alligator Gar: a Synthesis of Current Knowledge and Introduction to a Special Section N. G. Smith* and D. J. Daugherty Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Inland Fisheries Division, Heart of the Hills Fisheries Science Center, 5103 Junction Highway, Mountain Home, Texas 78058, USA E. L. Brinkman Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, District 7, 7004 Highway 67 East, Hope, Arkansas 71801, USA M. G. Wegener Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 8384 Fish Hatchery Road, Holt, Florida 32564, USA B. R. Kreiser School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive, Number 5018, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, USA A. M. Ferrara Department of Biological Sciences, Nicholls State University, Post Office Box 2021, Thibodaux, Louisiana 70310, USA K. D. Kimmel U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Baton Rouge Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, 235 Parker Coliseum, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA S. R. David Department of Biological Sciences, Nicholls State University, Post Office Box 2021, Thibodaux, Louisiana 70310, USA Abstract Growing appreciation of biodiversity and the role of apex predators, along with the increasing popularity of multi- species and trophy-oriented angling, has elevated the status of gars—in particular, the Alligator Gar Atractosteus spatula—among anglers and biologists alike. As a result, considerable effort has been spent in recent years to gain a working knowledge of the biology and ecology of the species in order to advance science-based management.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduced Amphibians and Reptiles in the Cuban Archipelago
    Herpetological Conservation and Biology 10(3):985–1012. Submitted: 3 December 2014; Accepted: 14 October 2015; Published: 16 December 2015. INTRODUCED AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES IN THE CUBAN ARCHIPELAGO 1,5 2 3 RAFAEL BORROTO-PÁEZ , ROBERTO ALONSO BOSCH , BORIS A. FABRES , AND OSMANY 4 ALVAREZ GARCÍA 1Sociedad Cubana de Zoología, Carretera de Varona km 3.5, Boyeros, La Habana, Cuba 2Museo de Historia Natural ”Felipe Poey.” Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba 3Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC), Green Cove Springs, Florida, USA 4Centro de Investigaciones de Mejoramiento Animal de la Ganadería Tropical, MINAGRI, Cotorro, La Habana, Cuba 5Corresponding author, email: [email protected] Abstract.—The number of introductions and resulting established populations of amphibians and reptiles in Caribbean islands is alarming. Through an extensive review of information on Cuban herpetofauna, including protected area management plans, we present the first comprehensive inventory of introduced amphibians and reptiles in the Cuban archipelago. We classify species as Invasive, Established Non-invasive, Not Established, and Transported. We document the arrival of 26 species, five amphibians and 21 reptiles, in more than 35 different introduction events. Of the 26 species, we identify 11 species (42.3%), one amphibian and 10 reptiles, as established, with nine of them being invasive: Lithobates catesbeianus, Caiman crocodilus, Hemidactylus mabouia, H. angulatus, H. frenatus, Gonatodes albogularis, Sphaerodactylus argus, Gymnophthalmus underwoodi, and Indotyphlops braminus. We present the introduced range of each of the 26 species in the Cuban archipelago as well as the other Caribbean islands and document historical records, the population sources, dispersal pathways, introduction events, current status of distribution, and impacts.
    [Show full text]
  • Family Lepisosteidae (Gars)
    Invasive Species Fact Sheet Gar, Family Lepisosteidae General Description Gars are large, freshwater fish belonging to the Lepisosteidae family, which consists of 7 species of gar: alligator, Cuban, Florida, longnose, shortnose, spotted, and tropical. Gars have long, cylindrical bodies covered in hard, shiny, diamond-shaped Alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) scales. Their dorsal and anal fins sit far back on the body, Photo by South Carolina Department of Natural Resources near the tail. They have slender snouts with sharp, needle- like teeth. Gars are generally green to brown in color on their top and sides and white to yellow on their bellies; some species have spots on their bodies and/or fins. The different species of gar can be distinguished by snout length, number of rows of teeth, and the amount and location of spots. Depending on the species, adult gar range from 1 to over 9 feet long. The largest species of gar, the alligator gar, has been reported to grow up to 10 feet and weigh 350 lbs. Current Distribution Gars are not currently found in California. Alligator gars have been collected in California waters on a few occasions, but these fish were likely the result of aquarium releases. Five of the seven gar species are native to the United States. Spotted gars (Lepisosteus oculatus) confiscated Gars are currently found within and outside of their native ranges in by CDFW wardens the United States from the Great Lakes basin in the north, south Photo by CDFW through the Mississippi River drainage to Texas, Mexico, and Florida. Florida gars are only found in Florida and Georgia.
    [Show full text]
  • Fine Structure of the Gas Bladder of Alligator Gar, Atractosteus Spatula Ahmad Omar-Ali1, Wes Baumgartner2, Peter J
    www.symbiosisonline.org Symbiosis www.symbiosisonlinepublishing.com International Journal of Scientific Research in Environmental Science and Toxicology Research Article Open Access Fine Structure of the Gas Bladder of Alligator Gar, Atractosteus spatula Ahmad Omar-Ali1, Wes Baumgartner2, Peter J. Allen3, Lora Petrie-Hanson1* 1Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA 2Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA 3Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Forest Resources, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA Received: 1 November, 2016; Accepted: 2 December, 2016 ; Published: 12 December, 2016 *Corresponding author: Lora Petrie-Hanson, Associate Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, 240 Wise Center Drive PO Box 6100, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA, Tel: +1-(601)-325-1291; Fax: +1-(662)325-1031; E-mail: [email protected] Lepisosteidae includes the genera Atractosteus and Lepisosteus. Abstract Atractosteus includes A. spatula (alligator gar), A. tristoechus Anthropogenic factors seriously affect water quality and (Cuban gar), and A. tropicus (tropical gar), while Lepisosteus includes L. oculatus (spotted gar), L. osseus (long nose gar), L. in the Mississippi River and the coastal estuaries. Alligator gar platostomus (short nose gar), and L. platyrhincus (Florida gar) (adversely affect fish )populations. inhabits these Agricultural waters andrun-off is impactedaccumulates by Atractosteus spatula [2,6,7]. Atractosteus are distinguishable from Lepisosteus by agricultural pollution, petrochemical contaminants and oil spills. shorter, more numerous gill rakers and a more prominent accessory organ. The gas bladder, or Air Breathing Organ (ABO) of second row of teeth in the upper jaw [2].
    [Show full text]
  • Primer Designs for Identification and Environmental DNA (Edna)
    Transactions of the American Fisheries Society © 2018 American Fisheries Society ISSN: 0002-8487 print / 1548-8659 online DOI: 10.1002/tafs.10043 SPECIAL SECTION: ANGLING FOR DINOSAURS Primer Designs for Identification and Environmental DNA (eDNA) Detection of Gars Nicole J. Farley and Adrian A. Vasquez Department of Physiology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA Richard Kik IV Belle Isle Aquarium, c/o Belle Isle Conservancy, 300 River Place Drive, Suite 2800, Detroit, Michigan 48207, USA Solomon R. David Nicholls State University, 906 East 1st Street, 112 Beauregard Hall, Thibodaux, Louisiana 70310, USA Arjun S. Katailiha Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA Xavier N. Walker Department of Physiology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA Jeffrey L. Ram* Department of Physiology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA; and Belle Isle Aquarium, c/o Belle Isle Conservancy, 300 River Place Drive, Suite 2800, Detroit, Michigan 48207, USA Abstract Gars (family Lepisosteidae) play important roles as apex predators in freshwater ecosystems, helping to balance fish populations. Several gar species are exploited as food and game fish, and some species are classified as vulnerable due to habitat loss. New molecular techniques to detect, monitor, and identify environmental DNA (eDNA) from gars might help inform management and conservation efforts for these interesting fish. The goal of this project was to develop and test PCR primers for gars, using specimens of all seven gar species, which are on exhibit at the Belle Isle Aquarium in Detroit, Michigan. Focusing on the mitochondrial gene for cytochrome oxidase I, we first designed pri- mers to amplify DNA from all species of gars (“universal gar primers”) and confirmed their specificity in silico.
    [Show full text]
  • Microct Survey of Larval Skeletal Mineralization in the Cuban Gar Atractosteus Tristoechus (Actinopterygii; Lepisosteiformes)
    Anatomy atlas MicroCT survey of larval skeletal mineralization in the Cuban gar Atractosteus tristoechus (Actinopterygii; Lepisosteiformes) Scherrer Raphael¨ 1, Hurtado Andres´ 2, Garcia Machado Erik3, Debiais-Thibaud Melanie´ 1* 1Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de Montpellier, UMR5554, Universite´ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, c.c.064, place Eugene` Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France 2Centro Hidrobiologico,´ Parque Nacional Cienaga´ de Zapata, Matanzas, Cuba 3Centro de Investigaciones Marinas, Universidad de La Habana, Calle 16, No. 114 entre la 1ra y 3ra, Miramar, Playa, La Habana 11300, Cuba *Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract Using X-ray microtomography, we describe the ossification events during the larval development of a non-teleost actinopterygian species: the Cuban gar Atractosteus tristoechus from the order Lepisosteiformes. We provide a detailed developmental series for each anatomical structure, covering a large sequence of mineralization events going from an early stage (13 days post-hatching, 21mm total length) to an almost fully ossified larval stage (118dph or 87mm in standard length). With this work, we expect to bring new developmental data to be used in further comparative studies with other lineages of bony vertebrates. We also hope that the online publication of these twelve successive 3D reconstructions, fully flagged, will be an educational tool for all students in comparative anatomy. Keywords: Actinopterygii, development, Lepisosteiformes, mineralization, skeleton Submitted:2016-04-04, published online:2017-05-17. https://doi.org/10.18563/m3.3.3.e3 INTRODUCTION 2013; Broughton et al., 2013; Friedman, 2015). Near et al. (2012) estimated the separation between gars and teleosts be- Gars are non-teleost ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) be- tween 330 and 390 million years ago (Mya), somewhere from longing to the order Lepisosteiformes, whose only extant Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous.
    [Show full text]
  • Peraturan Menteri Kelautan Dan Perikanan Republik Indonesia Nomor 41/Permen-Kp/2014
    PERATURAN MENTERI KELAUTAN DAN PERIKANAN REPUBLIK INDONESIA NOMOR 41/PERMEN-KP/2014 TENTANG LARANGAN PEMASUKAN JENIS IKAN BERBAHAYA DARI LUAR NEGERI KE DALAM WILAYAH NEGARA REPUBLIK INDONESIA DENGAN RAHMAT TUHAN YANG MAHA ESA MENTERI KELAUTAN DAN PERIKANAN REPUBLIK INDONESIA, Menimbang : a. bahwa dalam rangka melestarikan sumber daya ikan dan lingkungannya serta untuk mencegah terjadinya hal-hal yang membahayakan manusia, dipandang perlu mengatur larangan pemasukan jenis ikan berbahaya dari luar negeri ke dalam wilayah negara Republik Indonesia; b. bahwa Peraturan Menteri Kelautan dan Perikanan Republik Indonesia Nomor PER.17/MEN/2009 tentang Larangan Pemasukan Beberapa Jenis Ikan Berbahaya Dari Luar Negeri Ke Dalam Wilayah Negara Republik Indonesia perlu disempurnakan sesuai perkembangan pembudidayaan ikan; c. bahwa berdasarkan pertimbangan sebagaimana dimaksud dalam huruf a dan huruf b, perlu menetapkan Peraturan Menteri Kelautan dan Perikanan tentang Larangan Pemasukan Jenis Ikan Berbahaya Dari Luar Negeri Ke Dalam Wilayah Negara Republik Indonesia; Mengingat : 1. Undang-Undang Nomor 31 Tahun 2004 tentang Perikanan (Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2004 Nomor 118, Tambahan Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Nomor 4433) sebagaimana telah diubah dengan Undang-Undang Nomor 45 Tahun 2009 (Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2009 Nomor 154 Tambahan Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Nomor 5073); 2. Peraturan Presiden Nomor 47 Tahun 2009 tentang Pembentukan dan Organisasi Kementerian Negara sebagaimana telah diubah terakhir dengan Peraturan Presiden Nomor 13 Tahun 2014 (Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2014 Nomor 24); 3. Peraturan Presiden Nomor 24 Tahun 2010 tentang Kedudukan, Tugas dan Fungsi Kementerian Negara, serta Susunan Organisasi, Tugas dan Fungsi Eselon I Kementerian Negara sebagaimana telah diubah terakhir dengan Peraturan Presiden Nomor 14 Tahun 2014 (Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2014 Nomor 25); 5.
    [Show full text]
  • Life History Characteristics of Alligator Gar, Atractosteus Spatual, in The
    Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Master's Theses Graduate School 2009 Life history characteristics of alligator gar, Atractosteus spatual, in the Bayou DuLarge area of southcentral Louisiana Kayla Cheree DiBenedetto Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons Recommended Citation DiBenedetto, Kayla Cheree, "Life history characteristics of alligator gar, Atractosteus spatual, in the Bayou DuLarge area of southcentral Louisiana" (2009). LSU Master's Theses. 1304. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/1304 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Master's Theses by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. LIFE HISTORY CHARACTERISTICS OF ALLIGATOR GAR ATRACTOSTEUS SPATULA IN THE BAYOU DULARGE AREA OF SOUTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in The School of Renewable Natural Resources by Kayla C. DiBenedetto B.S., Louisiana State University, 2006 December 2009 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisor Dr. William E. Kelso for the continuous support throughout my extended educational career at Louisiana State University. Dr. Kelso steered me into the fisheries graduate program and has helped shape my lifelong career goals. I would also like to thank my committee members Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Topic Area: Indigenous Species Development Development of Sustainable Feeds, Improved Stocking Densities, and Salinity Ma
    TOPIC AREA: INDIGENOUS SPECIES DEVELOPMENT vv DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE FEEDS, IMPROVED STOCKING DENSITIES, AND SALINITY MANAGEMENT IN CLOSED RECIRCULATING SYSTEMS FOR GAR (ATRACTOSTEUS SPP.) CULTURE Indigenous Species Development/Experiment/09IND11UM FINAL INVESTIGATION REPORT Wilfrido M. Contreras-Sánchez, María de Jesús Contreras-García, Alejandro Mcdonal-Vera, María Fernanda Cifuentes Alonso, Carlos A. Álvarez-González, Felipe Nery Hernández Hernández, and Leonardo Serafín Rodríguez Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory Academic Division of Biological Sciences Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco Villahermosa, Tabasco, México Solomon R. David and James S. Diana School of Natural Resources and Environment University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to determine success of closed and recirculating filtration systems on water quality and growth of tropical and Cuban gars, and to determine the effect of salinity on growth (treatments 0, 10, and 15 ppt salinity). Fish were divided into treatment groups. For the system experiment, treatments were a control in a recirculating system, and closed systems for a second treatment with aquarium filtration systems. For the salinity experiments, treatments were 0-15 ppt salinity. Fish length and weight were measured at beginning and end of experiments (tropical gars also measured every 15 days), and were fed ad libitum with trout feed (tropical gars) or commercial pellet feed (Cuban gars). In all experiments, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH were measured weekly, and temperature daily. The various salinity treatments and recirculating or filtered systems resulted in no significant differences in growth for any treatment. Water quality was generally similar among all treatments as well. Overall, this experiment indicates that tropical and Cuban gars are tolerant of a range of conditions and could be reared using a variety of systems without any loss of yield.
    [Show full text]
  • The Complete Mitochondrial DNA of the Cuban Gar (Atractosteus Tristoechus)
    Mitochondrial DNA Part B Resources ISSN: (Print) 2380-2359 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tmdn20 The complete mitochondrial DNA of the Cuban gar (Atractosteus tristoechus) Gabriela Ulmo-Díaz, Andrés Hurtado, Jeremy Le Luyer, Erik García-Machado & Louis Bernatchez To cite this article: Gabriela Ulmo-Díaz, Andrés Hurtado, Jeremy Le Luyer, Erik García-Machado & Louis Bernatchez (2017) The complete mitochondrial DNA of the Cuban gar (Atractosteus tristoechus), Mitochondrial DNA Part B, 2:1, 359-360, DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2017.1339214 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/23802359.2017.1339214 © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Published online: 14 Jun 2017. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 120 View related articles View Crossmark data Citing articles: 1 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=tmdn20 MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B: RESOURCES, 2017 VOL. 2, NO. 1, 359–360 https://doi.org/10.1080/23802359.2017.1339214 MITOGENOME ANNOUNCEMENT The complete mitochondrial DNA of the Cuban gar (Atractosteus tristoechus) Gabriela Ulmo-Dıaza, Andres Hurtadob, Jeremy Le Luyerc, Erik Garcıa-Machadoa and Louis Bernatchezc aCentro de Investigaciones Marinas, Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba; bCentro de Reproduccion para la Ictiofauna Indıgena, Matanzas, Cuba; cInstitut de Biologie Integrative et des Systemes (IBIS), Universite Laval, Quebec, Canada ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY The Cuban gar (Atractosteus tristoechus) is an endemic lepisosteid living in Cuba. Among gars, this Received 11 May 2017 species is one of the most threatened and has the smallest natural distribution range.
    [Show full text]
  • Determination of Optimal Prey for Rearing the Tropical Gar Atractosteus Tropicus (Lepisosteiformes: Lepisosteidae)
    Determination of optimal prey for rearing the Tropical Gar Atractosteus tropicus (Lepisosteiformes: Lepisosteidae) Luis Humberto Escalera-Vázquez1*, Omar Domínguez-Domínguez2, Eduardo Molina-Domínguez2, S.S.S. Sarma3 & S. Nandini3 1. CONACyT- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, avenida Juanito Itzícuaro S/N, Nueva Esperanza, 58330 Morelia Michoacán, México; [email protected] 2. Laboratorio de Biología Acuática, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, edificio R, planta baja, Ciudad Universitaria, Morelia, Michoacán, México; [email protected], [email protected] 3. Laboratorio de Zoología Acuática, División de Investigación y Posgrados, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Iztacala, Av. de Los Barrios s/n Los Reyes, CP 54090, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México, México; [email protected], [email protected] * Correspondence Received 20-XI-2017. Corrected 02-V-2018. Accepted 11-VI-2018. Abstract: Larval feeding studies of both ornamental and consumable fish species are important for formulating successful management, and culture strategies for conservation purposes. In the present study, we evaluated prey selectivity for the tropical gar Atractosteus tropicus in the larval stage (first 8 weeks) using the zooplankton Artemia fransiscana, Daphnia pulex and Moina macrocopa as prey following the hypothesis that prey selection of the fish species is related not only to prey species preferences but to the difference in prey densities present in the environment. Functional responses were tested at prey densities of 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 ind. mL-1 and analyzed using Manly’s α. For prey selectivity, we used the three zooplankton species at three different densities.
    [Show full text]
  • DNA Barcoding of Cuban Freshwater Fishes
    Molecular Ecology Resources (2010) 10, 421–430 doi: 10.1111/j.1755-0998.2009.02785.x DNA BARCODING DNA barcoding of Cuban freshwater fishes: evidence for cryptic species and taxonomic conflicts ARIAGNA LARA,* JOSE´ LUIS PONCE DE LEO´ N,† RODET RODRI´GUEZ,† DIDIER CASANE,‡ GUILLAUME COˆ TE´ ,§ LOUIS BERNATCHEZ§ and ERIK GARCI´A-MACHADO* *Centro de Investigaciones Marinas, Universidad de La Habana, Calle 16, No. 114 Entre 1ra y 3ra, Miramar, Playa, Ciudad Habana 11300, Cuba, †Facultad de Biologı´a, Universidad de La Habana, Calle 25, No. 455 Entre J e I, Vedado, Ciudad Habana 10400, Cuba, ‡Laboratoire Evolution Ge´nomes et Spe´ciation (UPR9034), CNRS, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France, §Institut de Biologie Inte´grative et des Syste`mes (IBIS), Pavillon Charles-Euge`ne Marchand, Universite´ Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada G1V 0A6 Abstract Despite ongoing efforts to protect species and ecosystems in Cuba, habitat degradation, over- use and introduction of alien species have posed serious challenges to native freshwater fish species. In spite of the accumulated knowledge on the systematics of this freshwater ichthyo- fauna, recent results suggested that we are far from having a complete picture of the Cuban freshwater fish diversity. It is estimated that 40% of freshwater Cuban fish are endemic; how- ever, this number may be even higher. Partial sequences (652 bp) of the mitochondrial gene COI (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) were used to barcode 126 individuals, representing 27 taxonomically recognized species in 17 genera and 10 families. Analysis was based on Kimura 2-parameter genetic distances, and for four genera a character-based analysis (popula- tion aggregation analysis) was also used.
    [Show full text]