Genetic diversity of the huchen (Hucho hucho) in Serbia

Abstract

In order to conduct a preliminary assessment of the Huchen genetic variability in Serbia, 14 individuals were collected from six localities which belong to the Drina (Drina River, Poblačnica River, Uvac Lake and Zlatar Lake) and Zapadna Morava (Đetinja River and Ibar River) river basins. The control region and NADH1 mitochondrial gene were sequenced for all the collected individuals. In addition, two microsatellite loci were genotyped (HLJZ023 and HLJZ003). By sequencing two mtDNA loci, the presence of the same haplotypes was detected (CR_1 and ND_1). Due to insufficient phylogenetic information, the results obtained indicate that mtDNA can not be used for the detection of the Huchen genetic variability in Serbia. However, variability in the number of repeats within the control region is the only detected polymorphism of mtDNA. Compared with other Huchen populations from the Danube basin, the analysed individuals from Serbia are characterised by the highest number of repeats in the control region (average 8.7). The analysis of the microsatellite data showed that the individuals from Serbia belong to the ''eastern'' cluster (Slovakia, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro), except for one individual from the Drina River, which belongs to the ''western'' cluster (Austria and Slovenia) - probably as a consequence of stocking. By analysing the HLJZ003 locus. Three unique alleles were found in the examined individuals from the Serbian territory [336, 356 (Drina and Ibar basin) and 360 (Ibar basin)]. The results indicate that the Danube basin probablz has considerablz more region-specific alleles than previouslz thought, which must be taken into consideration in the future species management.