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one standard deviation of the mean per freshwater species. Although a comparison with <br />general estimates for freshwater species is crude, it provides some indication that levels <br />of genetic variation in Virgin River chub are normal relative to other species. <br />The Moapa River population had lower values than other sample sites for all three <br />measures of genetic diversity. Mean allelic richness and expected heterozygosity for the <br />Moapa River population (A = 5.34; HE = 0.56) were lower than in the other populations <br />(A ranged from 6.11 to 6.28; HE ranged from 0.67 to 0.68). In addition, the Moapa River <br />population (N= 66) only had six unique alleles compared to 21 unique alleles present <br />in the Virgin River (N= 65). The lower levels of genetic variation found in chub <br />occupying the Moapa River may indicate that historically this population was smaller <br />than the Virgin River population. An alternative possibility is that this population has <br />been negatively influenced by the presence of non-native species. Exotic species <br />can impact a population of native fish by predation, competition or a combination of the <br />two at any life history stage of the native species. Unlike the upper Virgin River, there is <br />no barrier to prevent non-native species from invading the Moapa River. During a <br />sampling trip in 2007, the majority of fish caught in the Moapa River were non-native <br />species, including the reach above the Wells-siding Diversion where the highest numbers <br />of Virgin River chub are found (Albrecht et al. 2008). <br />The Dexter broodstock and progeny had similar levels of genetic variation (A <br />ranged from 6.11 to 6.28; HE = 0.67) when compared to the Virgin River populations (A <br />ranged from 6.15 to 6.22; HE ranged from 0.67 to 0.68). However, the Dexter population <br />(N = 92) had five unique alleles compared to 10 unique alleles in the Virgin River <br />populations (N= 65), the source of most of the captive stock. The fact that each group <br />18