This document summarizes a study that used environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect the presence of mudpuppies (Necturus maculosus maculosus) along the St. Clair-Detroit River System. The study sampled eDNA from four sites with varying mudpuppy trapping success. Initial results were inconclusive due to inconsistencies. Ongoing eDNA sampling is being integrated with additional samples and protocol adjustments to better understand mudpuppy occupancy. Local habitat restoration appears important for mudpuppy conservation in occupied areas of this degraded river system.

1. M I C H I G A N
O N T A R I O
L A K E E R I E
L A K E
S T. C L A I R
L A K E H U R O N
We thank the Herpetological Resource and
Management, Stephen Spear, U.S. Geological
Survey Great Lakes Science Center, and the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Funding
support for this project was provided by the
US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Great Lakes
Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act.
Acknowledgements
References
1Bennion, D.H., and B.A. Manny. 2011. Construction of shipping
channels in the Detroit River: history and environmental
consequences. Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5122.
2Binational Public Advisory Commission for the St. Clair River. 2012.
Delisting Targets for Loss of Fish/Wildlife Habitat Beneficial Use
Impairment of the St. Clair River Area of Concern.
Spear, S.F., J.D. Groves, L.A. Williams, and L.P. Waits. 2015. Using
environmental DNA methods to improve detectability in a
hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) monitoring program.
Biological Conservation 183:38–45.
Use of eDNA to Predict the Presence of Mudpuppies (Necturus maculosus
maculosus) along the St. Clair-Detroit River System
Jenny Sutherland1,2, David Mifsud3, Maegan Stapleton3, Amber Stedman2, Edward Roseman1, James Boase4, Andrew Briggs4,
Justin Chiotti4, Katherine Greenwald2
1USGS Great Lakes Science Center, 2Eastern Michigan University, 3Herpetological Resource and Management, 4US Fish & Wildlife Service
Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus maculosus)
• Fully aquatic salamander
• Environmental indicator
• Widespread declines due to habitat modification,
pollution, and over collection
• Species of Special Concern in Michigan
St. Clair-Detroit River System
• St. Clair and Detroit Rivers designated Area of Concern (AOC) in
1987 under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
• Habitat degraded from urban development and shipping
channels1
• Eleven shoreline and reef sites have undergone restoration2
Quantitative PCR output of samples from (A) Blue
Water River Walk, (B) Cottrellville, (C) St. Clair
Metropark, and (D) the Huron River.
(+) Positive detection of mudpuppy eDNA
(-) No detection of mudpuppy eDNA
Environmental DNA
• Detection of mudpuppy DNA in water
• Non-invasive and requires minimal field work
• Protocol and primers developed by Spear et
al. (2015)
• High and low trapping success sites sampled
• Samples will be re-run due to inconsistencies
Cottrellville
Marysville
Blue Water River Walk
Mudpuppy trapping
Minnow trap and setline records from Herpetological Resource and
Management, USGS Great Lakes Science Center, and US Fish and Wildlife
Conclusions
• Local habitat restoration at occupied sites has an important
role in conservation
• Environmental DNA results were inconclusive
• Mudpuppy eDNA sampling is on-going and new samples will
be integrated into these studies including multiple samples
per site and adjustments to the qPCR protocol
Mudpuppy catches between 2014-1206
No mudpuppies caught
NoTrappingSuccess
D. Huron River (+)
C. St. Clair Metropark (-)
Line staying above
fluorescence line
indicates positive
detection of
mudpuppy eDNA
B. Cottrellville (-)
A. Blue Water River Walk (-)
TrappingSuccess
Line stays below fluorescence
line, therefore, no indication of
mudpuppy eDNA