Effective population size in the captive breeding program of the Lake Victoria cichlid Paralabidochromis chilotes

Microsatellite DNA markers were used to monitor levels of genetic variation in 3 generations of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association [AZA] Specie s Survival Plan [SSP] captive breeding program for the Lake Victoria cichli d Paralabidochromis chilotes. Temporal changes in the frequency of 15 allel es, across four polymorphic loci, were used to estimate effective populatio n size (N-e). The upper limit of the 95% confidence interval for N-e never exceeded eight individuals, with all of the corresponding N-e/N ratios fall ing below 0.15. A test of the proportion of expected heterozygous individua ls between the F-1 and F-3 generations indicated a significant decline in e xpected heterozygosity of 5% per generation. Alternative husbandry protocol s, including subdividing the captive population, are addressed to reduce th e further loss of genetic variation. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.