Contrasting effect of hybridization on genetic differentiation in three rockfish species with similar life history.

Hybridization can provide evolutionary benefits (e.g., population resilience to climate change) through the introduction of adaptive alleles and increase of genetic diversity.

Estimation of genotyping error rate from repeat genotyping, unintentional recaptures and known parent-offspring comparisons in 16 microsatellite loci for brown rockfish (Sebastes auriculatus).

Genotyping errors are present in almost all genetic data and can affect biological conclusions of a study, particularly for studies based on individual identification and parentage. Many statistical approaches can incorporate genotyping errors, but usually need accurate estimates of error rates. Here, we used a new microsatellite data set developed for brown rockfish (Sebastes auriculatus) to estimate genotyping error using three approaches: (i) repeat genotyping 5% of samples, (ii) comparing unintentionally recaptured individuals and (iii) Mendelian inheritance error checking for known parent-offspring pairs.

Reef fish diversity at Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, during the five years following the 1998 coral bleaching event.

Quantitative surveys of fish-species diversity were undertaken at 10 m and 20 m water depth on the outer reef at Aldabra Atoll, southern Seychelles, between November 1999 and May 2003. No significant changes in total fish-species diversity, numbers of families represented by these species, or numbers of pomacentrid or chaetodontid species were seen, contrary to fish-diversity changes seen on coral bleaching-impacted reefs elsewhere. The lack of additional anthropogenic pressures at remote Aldabara may make this system, and others like it, more tolerant of bleaching-related population changes.