Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects
Date of Award
Spring 2015
Document Type
Honors Project
Degree Name
Biology-BS
Department
Biology & Earth Science
Advisor
Dr. Simon Lawrance
First Committee Member
Dr. Jeffrey Lehman
Second Committee Member
Dr. Sarah Bouchard
Third Committee Member
Dr. Joan Rocks
Keywords
African Penguin, Major Histocompatibility Complex, Genetic Diversity, MHC, Spheniscus demersus, Ex Situ Populations
Subject Categories
Biodiversity | Genetics | Population Biology | Zoology
Abstract
As an endangered species, the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is at risk of becoming extinct in the wild due to destruction of their coastal habitat and reduction in food availability. The development of a genetically diverse and healthy captive population is important in helping to conserve the species. The goal of this project was to determine the genetic diversity of the class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of a wild population of African penguins and compare it to the diversity of the captive population at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut that has previously been studied. We found that the wild population of African penguins that was sampled had similar levels of heterozygosity to the captive Mystic Aquarium penguins but the number of alleles found in the wild population was twice that of the captive population. Two undescribed alleles were also found in the wild population. These results have important implications in future management of this species as they indicate that practices need to be put into place to enhance the genetic variability of our captive populations to help ensure conservation of the species.
Recommended Citation
Willmer, Emily, "A Comparison of the Genetic Diversity of the Class II Major Histocompatibility Complex in ex situ and in situ Populations of African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus)" (2015). Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects. 5.
https://digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/stu_honor/5