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MEPS
Marine Ecology Progress Series

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MEPS 627:195-200 (2019)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13082

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Sex chromosomes and sex-specific molecular markers in Indo-Pacific combtooth blennies (Blenniidae, Istiblennius)

Peter J. Hundt1,2,*, Emma B. Liddle3, Stuart V. Nielsen4,5, Brendan J. Pinto4,6, Tony Gamble2,4,6

1Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
2Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55113, USA
3Department of Biology, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA 50112, USA
4Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
5Florida Museum of Natural History, Division of Herpetology, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
6Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
*Corresponding author:

ABSTRACT: Sex-specific genetic markers, markers found in one sex but not the other, can be used to recognize a species’ sex chromosome system in cases where traditional karyotyping fails. Species with male-specific markers have an XX/XY system, while species with female-specific markers have a ZZ/ZW system. Here, we used data from restriction site-associated DNA sequencing, or RADseq, from 2 species of combtooth blenny, Istiblennius lineatus and I. steindachneri, to identify an excess of female-specific genetic markers, which points to ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes. We used PCR to validate the sex-specificity of one of these female-specific restriction site-associated DNA markers in an additional Istiblennius species, I. edentulus. We observed no sex-specific PCR amplification in 2 other Istiblennius species and 2 Blenniella species. This Istiblennius ZZ/ZW system, when combined with cytogenetic data from the literature illustrating an XX/XY system in Parablennius, establishes a transition between sex chromosome systems within Blenniidae.


KEY WORDS: Blenny · Fish · RADseq · Endocrine disrupting chemicals · Biomonitoring


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Cite this article as: Hundt PJ, Liddle EB, Nielsen SV, Pinto BJ, Gamble T (2019) Sex chromosomes and sex-specific molecular markers in Indo-Pacific combtooth blennies (Blenniidae, Istiblennius). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 627:195-200. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13082

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