Utility of North Atlantic Right Whale Museum Specimens for Assessing Changes in Genetic Diversity

Abstract

We examined six historical specimens of the endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) using DNA isolatedfrom documented baleen platesfrom the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Sequences from the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region from these samples were compared with those from a near-exhaustive survey (269 of approximately 320 individuals) of the remaining right whales in the western North Atlantic Ocean. Our results suggest that there has been only relatively modest change in maternal lineage diversity over the past century in the North Atlantic right whale population. Any significant reduction in genetic variation in the species most likely occurred prior to the late nineteenth century. One historical specimen was from the last documented female capable of propagating one of the maternal lineages in the population today; no femnales in the existing population have been found to carry this mtDNA haplotype. Analysis of the only specimens from the eastern North Atlantic right whale population ever to be examined revealed that eastern and western North Atlantic right whales may not have been genetically differentiated populations. Loss of gene diversity experienced by North Atlantic right whales over the last century has been modest, and the six decades ofprotection have been successful in maintaining much of the maternal lineage diversity that was present in the late nineteenth century. Utilidad de los Especinlenes de Museo de la Ballena Franca Septentrional Eubalaena glacialis del Atlantico Norte para la Estimaci6n de Cambios en la Diversidad GeneticaResumen: Examinamos seis especimenes hist6ricos de la ballena franca septentrional Eubalaena glacialis del Atlantico Norte, usando ADN aislado deplacas de las barbas documentadas de finales de siglo diecinueve y principios del siglo veinte. Las secuencias del ADN mitocondrial (mtADN) de la regi6n control de estas muestras coinparadas con aquellas de una muestra casi exhaustiva (269 de aproximadamente 320 individuos) de las ballenas francas remanentes en el oceano Atlantico Norte Occidental. Nuestros resultados sugieren que solo ha habido ligeros cambios en la diversidad del linaje materno a lo largo del siglo pasado. Probablemente, cualquier reducci6n en la variaci6n genetica en las especies ocurri6 antes delfinal del siglo diecinueve. Uno de los especimenes hist6ricosfue de la ultima hembra documentada capaz de propagar uno de los linajes maternos en la poblaci6n actual. Ninguna de las hembras en las poblaciones existentes ha sido identificada conmo portadora de este haplotipo de mtADN. El andlisis de los especimenes de la poblaci6n de ballenas del Atlantico Norte Oriental examinados revelan que las ballenas francas del este y del oeste del Atlantico Norte podrian no haber sido poblaciones geneticamente diferentes. La perdida de diversidad genetica experimentada en las poblaciones de ballena franca del Atlantico Norte a lo largo del siglo pasado This article is a U.S. government work, and is not subject to copyright i...

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