PATTERNS OF REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS AND GENETIC VARIABILITY IN A TRANSLOCATED IGUANA POPULATION

Using microsatellite analysis, we investigated the reproductive success and genetic structure of a translocated colony of the Bahamian iguana (Cyclura cychlura inornata) 10-yr post introduction. We investigated the reproductive success of the founder males to determine if all were contributing equally to the descendant gene pool. We compared the genetic diversity in the founder population with that in the incipient, translocated population to determine if the number of translocated individuals was sufficient to retain the genetic diversity derived from the source population. In 1999, the estimated population size for the translocated colony was between 75 and 90 individuals. Blood was taken from 35 iguanas (16 males, 18 females, and 1 juvenile) of mixed age, including the four original translocated males and three of the four original translocated females. Of the eight polymorphic microsatellite loci in C. cychlura, only five were polymorphic in C. c. inornata. With two exceptions, the low average allelic diversity and heterozygosity among these loci (2.4 and 0.45, respectively) hindered accurate determination of parentage among the founders. Nevertheless, the data indicated that the potential parental contributions appear equal for the founder males and that, at 10-yr post introduction, the small amount of genetic diversity at the amplified loci in the founding population was retained. The low level of genetic variation appears to have no negative short-term effects on the translocated or other populations of C. cychlura inhabiting the Exuma Island chain, making them excellent candidates for translocation and repatriation programs if physiological and environmental requirements are met.