The Pennsylvania grotto sculpin: population genetics

Abstract

The Pennsylvania grotto sculpin is known from just two caves of the Nippenose Valley in central Pennsylvania, USA. They exhibit emergent troglobitic morphological traits and are the second northern-most cave adapted fish in the world. Two mitochondrial ( 16S rRNA and D-loop gene) and one nuclear ( S7 ribosomal protein gene intron) gene in both cave and epigean populations were sequenced. For the three markers, a large proportion of cave specimens possess unique haplotypes not found in their local surface counterparts, suggesting a vicariance in their evolutionary history. The cave population also has haplotypes from two separate lineages of surface sculpins of the Cottus cognatus / bairdii species complex. Since morphology, nuclear, and mitochondrial markers are not correlated among cave individuals, hybridization with introgression is suggested.