28th ANNUAL EASTERN FISH HEALTH WORKSHOP April 21-25, 2003 Investigations Of Genetic Polymorphism Among Anguillicola crassus In Populations Of Anguilla rostrata Mark S. Sokolowski1, Jane E. Huffman2 and Edmund Washuta3 1Marine Disease, Pathology and Research Consortium, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook NY, 11794; 2Department of Biological Sciences, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg PA, 18301; 3New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife, Pequest Trout Hatchery, Oxford NJ, 07863. Anguillicola crassus is a native parasite in the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica).  The first case of Anguillicola crassus in the United States appeared on a Texas eel farm in 1995.  Since its introduction, Anguillicola crassus has been reported in the American eel (Anguilla rostrata) along the east coast of the United States from Florida to Connecticut.  In an attempt to understand the population dynamics of this introduced species, the 28s rDNA D3 expansion segments from Anguillicola crassus samples from Delaware Lake, NJ, Farm River, CT, Turville Creek, Susquehanna River, Wicomico River, and St. Jerome’s Creek, MD were amplified using PCR and sequenced.  The samples were compared and one possible polymorphic site was identified to exist between the New Jersey samples and the Maryland and Connecticut samples.  The ITS-2 region of DNA from Anguillicola crassus samples from Delaware Lake, NJ was also amplified using PCR and sequenced.  No polymorphic sites were identified in these samples.  The lack of heterogeneity at these loci may be the result of a population bottleneck known to occur as a result of a founder event, or may be the result of little or no heterogeneity at these loci in the natural populations. Return to 28th Annual Eastern Fish Health Workshop Return to Leetown Science Center Home Page