<p>A saugeye is the progeny of a
female walleye (<i>Sander vitreus)</i> and
male sauger (<i>Sander canadensis)</i>. In
the United States, hybrid saugeyes are considered important for recreational
fisheries and as a potential food source. Saugeyes grow exceptionally faster than their non-hybrid parents and are more tolerant of a broader range
of water conditions. They are also of interest to anglers due to their
increased growth rate and ease to catch. Rather unexpectedly, biologists have
recently observed fish that they believe to be saugeye in the Fort Wayne Rivers
even though only walleye have been stocked in the area. The fish in Hurshtown Reservoir are believed to be walleye and the
identification of those in the Three Rivers is unknown. A potential source for
saugeye in the Fort Wayne Rivers is St. Marys State Fish Hatchery in Ohio. This
research aims to determine if the fish found in the Fort Wayne Rivers are
walleye or saugeye using microsatellite analysis. Microsatellites at seven loci
were genotyped for 20 reference walleye, sauger, and saugeye as well as 21
unknown fish caught near Fort Wayne. Of the fish caught near Fort Wayne, three
are from Hurshtown Reservoir and 18 are from the Three Rivers. Assignment tests
of genotypes were completed using model and non-model based cluster analysis.
Genotypic variation clearly resolved the two parent species from their hybrid
offspring. Sixteen of eighteen <i>Sander</i> (unknown species) caught in Fort Wayne Rivers between 2018
and 2019 were determined to be first generation saugeye. The other two were
walleye found in the Maumee River downstream of Hosey Dam. The three <i>Sander</i> caught in Hurshtown Reservoir
were verified to be walleye. Sauger have never been stocked in the Fort Wayne
Rivers and connecting waterways. Therefore, it is not likely that the saugeye
found in the analysis are from natural reproduction. It is speculated that
saugeye are swimming to Fort Wayne from hatcheries within the Maumee watershed.
There are many potential sources for walleye in the Fort Wayne Rivers. </p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:purdue.edu/oai:figshare.com:article/12735215 |
| Date | 03 August 2020 |
| Creators | Gabriel L Curtis (9182993) |
| Source Sets | Purdue University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis |
| Relation | https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/GENETIC_ANALYSIS_OF_PUTATIVE_WALLEYE_AND_SAUGEYE_IN_RIVERS_NEAR_FORT_WAYNE_INDIANA/12735215 |
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