Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
The wahoo, Acanthocyhium solandri, is a pelagic marine fish which inhabits tropical,
subtropical, and warm temperate waters worldwide. Despite being highly mobile and
economically important over most of their range, there is little scientific data
concerning population structure, movement patterns, or environmental preferences of
wahoo. In this study I investigate wahoo genetic population structure and
phytogeography on a global scale, and deploy pop-up satellite archival tags (PSA T's)
in the western Atlantic Ocean to determine movement patterns and environmental
preferences of wahoo.
Wahoo population genetic structure was examined across their entire global range
with intron six of lactate dehydrogenase-A (ldhA6, 10 locations, N = 213) and
mtDNA cytochrome h (Cyth, 13 locations, N = 322). Results show extensive sharing ofhaplotypes and no significant structure between all locations (mtDNA ~ST <
0.0001, P = 0.634; nuclear FsT = 0.0125, P = 0.1 06). Overall nuclear heterozygosity
(H = 0.714) and mtDNA haplotype diversity (h = 0.918) are both high, while overall
mtDNA nucleotide diversity (n = 0.006) and nuclear nucleotide diversity (n = 0.004)
are uniformly low. Coalescence indicates an effective female population size CNeF) at
- 816,000, and a population bottleneck - 690,000 years ago.
Movement patterns and environmental preferences were investigated by
deploying PSA T's onto four individual wahoo in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Tagging success rate (75%) validates the deployment protocol developed for this
project. Results indicate that wahoo in the western Atlantic ocean spend the greatest
portion of their time between 0 and 20 meters of depth, and between temperatures of
20oC and 26°C. More time was spent near the deeper extremes of their range during
the nocturnal period, and daily visits to the surface were observed. Wahoo were
observed traveling north in Fall and Winter, contrary to previous notions concerning
the migratory movements of this species.
The genetic results indicate a worldwide stock for wahoo, which reinforces the
mandate for international cooperation on fisheries issues. The PSA T results
demonstrate the value of the acquired data to the investigation of important life
history parameters in pelagic species. The information generated from this project
will benefit fisheries managers, marine biologists, evolutionary biologists, and both
commercial and recreational fishing interests.
subtropical, and warm temperate waters worldwide. Despite being highly mobile and
economically important over most of their range, there is little scientific data
concerning population structure, movement patterns, or environmental preferences of
wahoo. In this study I investigate wahoo genetic population structure and
phytogeography on a global scale, and deploy pop-up satellite archival tags (PSA T's)
in the western Atlantic Ocean to determine movement patterns and environmental
preferences of wahoo.
Wahoo population genetic structure was examined across their entire global range
with intron six of lactate dehydrogenase-A (ldhA6, 10 locations, N = 213) and
mtDNA cytochrome h (Cyth, 13 locations, N = 322). Results show extensive sharing ofhaplotypes and no significant structure between all locations (mtDNA ~ST <
0.0001, P = 0.634; nuclear FsT = 0.0125, P = 0.1 06). Overall nuclear heterozygosity
(H = 0.714) and mtDNA haplotype diversity (h = 0.918) are both high, while overall
mtDNA nucleotide diversity (n = 0.006) and nuclear nucleotide diversity (n = 0.004)
are uniformly low. Coalescence indicates an effective female population size CNeF) at
- 816,000, and a population bottleneck - 690,000 years ago.
Movement patterns and environmental preferences were investigated by
deploying PSA T's onto four individual wahoo in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Tagging success rate (75%) validates the deployment protocol developed for this
project. Results indicate that wahoo in the western Atlantic ocean spend the greatest
portion of their time between 0 and 20 meters of depth, and between temperatures of
20oC and 26°C. More time was spent near the deeper extremes of their range during
the nocturnal period, and daily visits to the surface were observed. Wahoo were
observed traveling north in Fall and Winter, contrary to previous notions concerning
the migratory movements of this species.
The genetic results indicate a worldwide stock for wahoo, which reinforces the
mandate for international cooperation on fisheries issues. The PSA T results
demonstrate the value of the acquired data to the investigation of important life
history parameters in pelagic species. The information generated from this project
will benefit fisheries managers, marine biologists, evolutionary biologists, and both
commercial and recreational fishing interests.
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