Greenback Cutthroat Trout Genetics and Meristics Studies Expert Panel Workshop

In July 2013, an expert panel was convened by US Fish and Wildlife Service to review genetic and morphological data, reach a consensus on how to interpret these to clarify taxonomic status of cutthroat trout in Colorado, and derive management and listing decisions. Participants included members of the Greenback Cutthroat Trout Recovery Team, agency representatives, authors of recent studies, and experts in the fields of genetics, morphometrics, and taxonomy. Key publications were provided as well as oral presentations and dialogue with researchers and managers. Conclusions that sparked broad consensus were then identified, as were aspects for which either insufficient data were available or interpretation varied markedly. Each participant then responded to 17 Panel-derived questions, with individual perspectives summarized in a report to guide future research and management activities. Key outcomes included: (a) Consensus that existing research was sound and informative; (b) Recognition that interpretations were often constrained by limited sampling; (c) Acknowledgment that additional lineages (i.e., 4 extant and 2 extinct) exist among cutthroat trout in Colorado; (d) Reconsideration of the geographic distribution of lineages; and (e) Necessity for additional research to facilitate taxonomic revisions needed for listing and management decisions