Genetic diversity of Salminus brasiliensis (Characiformes: Characidae) collected in the passage ladder of the Canoas I hydropower plant in the Paranapanema River, Brazil

Resumo

The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity of Salminus brasiliensis collected three times in the passage ladder of the hydropower plant Canoas I, in the Paranapanema River (Brazil). Fish samples were collected on 14 (CI14), 18 (CI18) and 25 (CI25) February 2008. Eight primers using RAPD technique were evaluated. Seventy-nine in 105 fragments amplified using these primers were polymorphic fragments (75.2%), 32 had frequencies with significant differences (P<0.05), 10 had low frequencies, 25 were excluded, and four were fixed fragments. One exclusive fragment was found in the CI14 sample. High values for polymorphic fragments and genetic diversity index of Shannon were observed for the CI14 and CI18. Low ancestry levels among the groups were indicated by the FST values that indicated high genetic differentiation. In all the three groups, the estimates of the number of migrants by generation (Nm) indicated low levels of gene flow. Most of the genetic variation was found within the groups through the AMOVA analysis, which was confirmed by the results of the identity and genetic distance. The results indicate high variability within the groups and genetic differentiation among them.