Genetic structuring in the Pyramid Elimia, Elimia potosiensis (Gastropoda, Pleuroceridae), with implications for pleurocerid conservation

Authors: Russell L. Minton, Bethany L. McGregor, David M. Hayes, Christopher Paight, Kentaro Inoue

The Interior Highlands, in southern North America, possesses a distinct fauna with numerous endemic species. Many freshwater taxa from this area exhibit genetic structuring consistent with biogeography, but this notion has not been explored in freshwater snails. Using mitochondrial 16S DNA sequences and ISSRs, we aimed to examine genetic structuring in the Pyramid Elimia, Elimia potosiensis, at various geographic scales. On a broad scale, maximum likelihood and network analyses of 16S data revealed a high diversity of mitotypes lacking biogeographic patterns across the range of E. potosiensis. On smaller geographic scales, ISSRs revealed significant population structure, even over the distance of a few hundred meters. Unlike other freshwater mollusks like mussels, E. potosiensis showed no evolutionary patterns relating to biogeography. The species does show population-level genetic structure, which may have implications in conservation efforts.

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