Population genetic studies of the roughhead grenadier, Macrourus berglax L., in the North Atlantic Ocean

摘要

Samples of the roughhead grenadier, Macrourus berglax L., were collected from several locations off East and West Greenland and in the Norwegian Sea. A total of 651 individuals were screened using starch-gel electrophoresis to reveal polymorphic systems to be applied in studies of the genetic structure of the species. Ten enzymes were stained for and seven enzyme loci (G3PDH-1*. GPI-1*, GPI-2*. LDH-1*, LDH-2*, MDH* and PGM*) displayed sufficient activity and allele variation to be used in the routine work. The GPI-1* and PGM* loci displayed high heterozygosities. Tests of accordance between observed distributions of phenotypes and expected Hardy-Weinberg distributions as well as tests of heterogeneity among sampling Rites, were performed using chi (2) tests. No genetic differences within the three main areas (West Greenland, East Greenland and the Norwegian Sea) were revealed, while significant differences were found among those areas indicating that the roughhead grenadier in the North Atlantic is composed of different stock units with their own gene pools rather than belonging to one panmictic population.