The Lineages of Potamopyrgus Antipodarum Found in Michigan

Abstract

The New Zealand Mud Snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) is an invasive species that can be found around the world. Its presence in Michigan has been documented for years; however, during this research it has been found that an alternate genetic family had been introduced into the rivers. This was determined by collecting samples, extracting their DNA through a DNeasy PowerSoil Pro Kit, amplifying the targeted genes (cytochrome b and 16S rRNA) via PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), and sequencing them in order to compare those sequences to other reported sequences. This allowed verification of which variants were present in sites around Michigan. It was found that the previously reported lineage (US1) was still inhabiting rivers, but most of the samples belonged to the US2 lineage. The US2 lineage was a new discovery in the area, but it was already known to be in the Great Lakes region.