Technical Report

Genetic Monitoring of the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow: Genetic Status of Wild and Captive Stocks in 2011

URL: https://webapps.usgs.gov/mrgescp/documents/Osborne%20and%20Turner_2011_Genetic%20Monitoring%20of%20the%20RGSM%20Genetic%20Status%20of%20Wild%20and%20Captive%20Stocks%20in%202011.pdf

Date: 2011/09/30

Author(s): Osborne M.J., Turner T.F.

Publication: Prepared for U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 23 p.

Abstract:

In 2011, we continued genetic monitoring of the wild (middle Rio Grande) Rio Grande silvery minnow population and of fish bred and/or raised in captivity and subsequently released in the Middle Rio Grande, New Mexico, and in the Big Bend National Park, Texas, as part of reintroduction efforts for the species. Genetic monitoring of the Rio Grande silvery minnow commenced in 1999 and has continued annually since that time. Here we report on the genetic status of wild and captive stocks of Rio Grande silvery minnow in 2011. In 2011, we sampled 369 wild fish from the Middle Rio Grande, NM, and 396 progeny (representing 6 captive lots) of captive spawning conducted at Dexter National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center and the Albuquerque Biological Park. In addition, one captive lot released in the Middle Rio Grande derived primarily from wild-caught eggs and larvae was sampled. These were representative of the captive stocks released at Big Bend and in the Rio Grande in New Mexico. The molecular methods and data analyses were conducted as described in the attached draft manuscript and hence are not included here.