First Molecular Verification of a Marine-Collected Specimen of Alosa alabamae (Teleostei: Clupeidae)

Authors

Paul Mickle, Mississippi Department of Marine ResourcesFollow
Jim S. Franks, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Brian R. Kreiser, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Gary J. Gray, University of Southern Mississippi
Jeremy M. Higgs, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Jeanne-Marie Havrylkoff, University of Southern MississippiFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-2015

Department

Biological Sciences

School

Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences

Abstract

Alosa alabamae (Alabama Shad) is an imperiled anadromous species that reproduces in northern Gulf of Mexico drainages. To date, there have only been 4 vouchered specimens collected from marine waters, but none have been verified with molecular techniques. On 28 March 2013, we collected a single adult female in proximity to a barrier island (Petit Bois) off the coast of Mississippi. Microsatellite DNA analysis corroborated the identification of this individual and suggested that the specimen was most genetically similar to the group from the Pascagoula River drainage rather than other portions of the range. Thus far, research has been focused on the species' freshwater life history, and it is crucial that more effort be directed toward documenting and understanding the full life history of this threatened fish.

Publication Title

Southeastern Naturalist

Volume

14

Issue

3

First Page

596

Last Page

601

Recommended Citation

Mickle, P., Franks, J. S., Kreiser, B. R., Gray, G. J., Higgs, J. M., Havrylkoff, J. (2015). First Molecular Verification of a Marine-Collected Specimen of Alosa alabamae (Teleostei: Clupeidae). Southeastern Naturalist, 14(3), 596-601.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/15578