MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA ANALYSIS CONFIRMS THE EXISTENCE OF A GENETICALLY DIVERGENT WALLEYE POPULATION IN NORTHEASTERN MISSISSIPPI

Mitochondrial DNA analysis of 16 wall-eyes Srizostedion vitreum origin ating from Luxapalila Creek in northeastern Mississippi showed that th ey were genetically distinct (2.34% sequence variation) from walleyes collected from the Mississippi River basin and other northern drainage s. There was no genetic variation among the 16 fish analyzed. This wor k confirms the existence of a unique genetic form of walleye in the To mbigbee River drainage, but further research is required to determine whether this distinct form occurs throughout the Gulf Coast drainages of Mississippi and Alabama. Because the genetic integrity of this sout hern walleye strain is threatened by stocking of northern walleye stra ins and by invasion of northern strains via the Tennessee-Tombigbee Wa terway, a careful monitoring program with genetic markers should be im plemented.