Meeting Abstract
Pomacea maculate and P. canaliculata are two apple snail species found extensively outside their native range of Central and South America. Both species have been reported within Florida (FL) ecosystems where they have caused disruptions through their voracious feeding on native plants as well as competed with native the species, P. paludosa, for both space and food. Due to morphological similarities among the invasive species, there is taxonomic ambiguity of the exact species present throughout FL. In addition, currently it is unknown whether FL invasive species’ are mating with one another or with the native and producing hybrids. Furthermore, if hybridization is occurring, it is unclear hybridization is directional or limited in any way. In order to address these questions, apple snails were collected from a variety of FL ecosystems during the spring and summer of 2019. DNA was extracted from foot tissue. Amplification of the elongation factor 1 alpha (EF1α) nuclear gene was used to identify individuals to the species level. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) mitochondrial gene was targeted to explore the potential of directionality of hybridization or determine if hybridization beyond the F1 generation was occurring. Preliminary results from 12 sample locations showed a large presence of P. maculata individuals throughout all sample locations and only 2 P. canaliculata found within among the whole sample region thus far. In addition, preliminary results indicate that hybridization and potentially hybridization beyond the F1 generation is occurring in one southwest FL location. Future work includes continuing to sample Pomacea sp. from a more representative geographic range throughout FL, genotype all individuals at both EF1α and COI loci, and confirm hybridization through DNA sequencing.
