EFFECT OF PARENTAL HETEROZYGOSITY ON PINK SALMON (ONCORHYNCHUS-GORBUSCHA) EMBRYONIC AND ALEVIN SURVIVAL AND DEVELOPMENT AT EXTREME TEMPERATURES

Heterozygosity of 59 pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) families was compared with embryo and alevin survival, hatching time, and emergence time for developmental temperatures of 4, 8, and 15-degrees-C. There was no consistent association between heterozygosity determined at 23 loci and either embryo or alevin survival or development rate at any of the three rearing temperatures. Embryos and alevins from more heterozygous parents did not have higher survival rates during development at the more extreme temperatures (4 and 15-degrees-C). Hatching and emergence timing was unrelated to parental heterozygosity. For pink salmon, there is no evidence to indicate that heterozygosity is correlated with any phenotypic trait yet examined.