Assessment of genetic variation and productive markers through four progenies of the first introduced stock of cultured shrimp Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei in Cuba

The Pacific White shrimp, Penaeus vannamei is the only invertebrate cultured species in Cuba nowadays. Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) lines are imported from Shrimp Improvement System (SIS) in USA and genetic characterization is achieved once animals arrive. Monitoring crossings and progenies along the production process is also accomplished. The objective of this work was to seek both production and genetic tendencies in four progenies of the first introduced stock. Productive recorded data including yield, survival and final weight were computed. Four microsatellite regions were explored to characterize the four populations in culture. Both survival and yield of the first, second and tenth offspring generations were significantly different from the ninth one. This last stock offered the lowest values of the whole analyzed productive process. On the other hand, the final weight did not show significant differences among the four studied progenies. Genetic parameters remained similar for the second, ninth and tenth but significantly differed from the very first introduced stock. Relatedness coefficients suggest not related individuals and there is no evidence of a bottleneck effect for any of the progenies or the founder stock. In summary, it seems that inbreeding and genetic diversity is still not causing damages in animals that could influence the productive process.