Genetic and oceanographic tools reveal high population connectivity and diversity in the endangered pen shell Pinna nobilis.

ABSTRACT: For marine meta-populations with source-sink dynamics knowledge about genetic connectivity is important to conserve biodiversity and design marine protected areas (MPAs). We evaluate connectivity of a Mediterranean sessile species, Pinna nobilis. To address a large geographical scale, partial sequences of cytochrome oxidase I (COI, 590 bp) were used to evaluate phylogeographical patterns in the Western Mediterranean, and in the whole basin using overlapping sequences from the literature (243 bp). Additionally, we combined (1) larval trajectories based on oceanographic currents and early life-history traits and (2) 10 highly polymorphic microsatellite loci collected in the Western Mediterranean. COI results provided evidence for high diversity and low inter-population differentiation. Micro

SUBMITTER: Wesselmann M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5859023 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature