Author(s)

R. Rahbari¹, K. Tannahill², C. Tobin², P. Robotham², I. D. Nicholl^2*

¹Genome Mutation and Genetic Disease Group, The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK.
²Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK.

The spined loach Cobitis taenia, is listed as a protected species under Appendix 3 of the Bern Convention and Annex II of the European Council Directive (92/43/EEC) on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora. It is desirable therefore to understand the genetic diversity within European populations. In a molecular genetic analysis of the cytochrome b gene in Cobitis taenia from three sites in the upper reaches of the River Trent catchment, a novel high frequency variant was identified which has not been previously reported in any European or Non-European population.

mtDNA, Novel Haplotype, Conservation, Cobitidae

Rahbari, R. , Tannahill, K. , Tobin, C. , Robotham, P. and Nicholl, I. (2017) The Identification of a Novel, High Frequency Variant in the Cytochrome b Gene in an Isolated Population of a Rare Fish, Spined Loach Cobitis taenia, in England: A Population Worth Protecting?. Open Journal of Ecology, 7, 193-198. doi: 10.4236/oje.2017.73014.