Genetic Differences in Rainbow Trout

[chrome/22]

I got to wondering about the Rainbow Trout while we were hashing out the Bull Trout/ DV scenario. I know they have been transplanted to the 4 corners of the earth & have wildly different life historys, now would the genetics remain identical?

Take a wild leopard spot Alaskan 20" and compare DNA to a New Zealand, Patagonia Jurassic lake or Kamchatca 20" Rainbow........ same fish?


c/22

 

[Mike Cline]

Complex question not answered simply. I commend two works that might shed light on your question.

An Entirely Synthetic Fish—How Rainbow Trout Beguiled America and Overran the World (2010), Anders Halverson

The McCloud River Rainbow Trout (Spring 1983) from About Trout-The Best of Robert J. Behnke from Trout Magazine. (2007)

Both these works outline the story of how Rainbow Trout made their way into U.S. and eventually International hatcheries to be distributed globally.

 

[tomb]

In short “no” they are not genetically identical, but probably all do still meet a few classical definitions of being members of the same species (can breed with each other and produce viable offspring; are more similar to each other than to members of any other species)

 

[chrome/22]

In short “no” they are not genetically identical, but probably all do still meet a few classical definitions of being members of the same species (can breed with each other and produce viable offspring; are more similar to each other than to members of any other species)

Now that definitely make sense to me. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Northern]

Yup.
Plenty of genetic screens to differentiate and identify what breed your dog is, but they're all still Canis lupus familiaris, whether Newfoundland or chihuahua!
Same with rainbow trout.

 

[Salmo_g]

I got to wondering about the Rainbow Trout while we were hashing out the Bull Trout/ DV scenario. I know they have been transplanted to the 4 corners of the earth & have wildly different life historys, now would the genetics remain identical?

Take a wild leopard spot Alaskan 20" and compare DNA to a New Zealand, Patagonia Jurassic lake or Kamchatca 20" Rainbow........ same fish?


c/22

Yes, same fish and same species, as others have pointed out. Genetic divergence occurs, but divergent strains of rainbow can still reproduce together if sexually mature fish are in the same place at the same time.

On a similar note, I think one strain of Chinook salmon was introduced to New Zealand. Those fish dispersed and within a few decades something like seven distinct genetic stocks were identified. Environment is a very strong selective factor regarding reproductive success.