Mitochondrial DNA variation in four British populations of the white-clawed crayfish, Austropotamobius pallipes: implications for management

¹ Laboratoire de Biologie animale, URA CNRS n° 1975, Université de Poitiers, 40 avenue du Recteur Pineau, 86022 Poitiers cedex, France
² Departement of Life Sience, The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK

Received: 3 May 1996
Accepted: 30 December 1996

Abstract

If recovery programmes are to be initiated in England and Wales, it is very important to obtain information on how genetic variation is partitioned between the remaining populations for the endangered species Austropotamobius pallipes pallipes. A survey of the mtDNA genome, using 12 restriction enzymes revealed 3 haplotypes in 4 British populations. The study reveals a low level of genetic variation amongst four geographically distant populations. Moreover, the most widespread haplotype found in the British populations is also similar to those found in French populations; one of the rare haplotypes found in one English population is also widespread in French populations. Management of crayfish stocks may be possible at a national level however, a more extended study of mtDNA variation is needed to prove this conclusively.