Abstract

The endemic endangered Puerto Rican boa (Chilabothrus inornatus) has faced a variety of perils in its natural habitat, making it a species of concern in recent decades. While information regarding genetic diversity in wild populations of this species is finally being accrued, the viability and relative genetic diversity contained in captive populations is undetermined, which hampers efforts to develop a captive species management plan. Here that analysis is provided using an 1100bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene as well as five nuclear microsatellite loci. Samples were acquired that represent fifty boas from captive populations in the United States, a collection which included accessions from public and private collections. Relatedness among individuals was determined as well as overall genetic diversity in the captive population. These data were then compared to that obtained from wild populations across the island of Puerto Rico to determine genetic diversity in the captive population relative to wild lineages. A surprisingly low level of inbreeding and magnitude of genetic diversity has been conserved in the captive linages of C. inornatus. Genetic diversity parameters measured in captive lineages are on par with those found in wild populations. These results inform current breeding strategies as well as offer additional information that will facilitate continuation of captive conservation work.

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