Mountain whitefish Prosopium Williamsoni are a widely distributed member of the Salmonidae family that are found throughout Western North America from the Lahontan Basin in California and Nevada, north to the Yukon-British Columbia Border in Canada. Past microsatellite and allozyme investigations have focused on understanding range-wide patterns of genetic structure and phylogeography of the species, with one goal being to identify and conserve historically isolated, genetically and evolutionarily independent, groups of populations. Despite this past research, no studies have been published that adequately describe the genetic structure of mountain whitefish throughout Idaho. In this study, we use restriction-site associated DNA sequencing and focus efforts on two river basins in central Idaho: Wood River and Lost River. These two basins are geographically adjacent and share nearby watersheds (within several kilometers from one another). However, by including Mountain Whitefish samples (and other Prosopium species) from throughout Idaho and adjacent states, we show definitively that these drainages were colonized by two separate ancient invasions. We discuss the conservation and management implications of these findings.

Project Leads: Katharine Coykendall and Audrey Harris