We hypothesized the crayfish species, Orconectes virilis, is invasive, and will have low genetic diversity, which may show evidence of a founder effect. We examined the 16S rRNA gene of the mitochondria of crayfish from five total sites, three new this year, using population genetics methods and compared them to an outgroup of Orconectes limosus. The results showed average genetic diversity of collected crayfish and introduced a new hypothesis that the crayfish we collected might be two phenotypically indistinguishable species.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Basile, Matthew P.
• Adams, Luke N.

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042407-143540

Advisor

• Heilman, Destin
• Buckholt, Michael Allan
• Mathews, Lauren M.

Year

• 2007

Date created

• 2007-04-24

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biochemistry

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2021-01-06