Chromosomal inversion polymorphisms are widespread across the species ranges of rough periwinkles (Littorina saxatilis and L. arcana).

ABSTRACT: Inversions are thought to play a key role in adaptation and speciation, suppressing recombination between diverging populations. Genes influencing adaptive traits cluster in inversions, and changes in inversion frequencies are associated with environmental differences. However, in many organisms, it is unclear if inversions are geographically and taxonomically widespread. The intertidal snail, Littorina saxatilis, is one such example. Strong associations between putative polymorphic inversions and phenotypic differences have been demonstrated between two ecotypes of L. saxatilis in Sweden and inferred elsewhere, but no direct evidence for inversion polymorphism currently exists across the species range. Using whole genome data from 107 snails, most inversion polymorphisms were found to be

SUBMITTER: Reeve J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11628645 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature