Genomic signatures of host-associated divergence and adaptation in a coral-eating snail, Coralliophila violacea (Kiener, 1836).

ABSTRACT: The fluid nature of the ocean, combined with planktonic dispersal of marine larvae, lowers physical barriers to gene flow. However, divergence can still occur despite gene flow if strong selection acts on populations occupying different ecological niches. Here, we examined the population genomics of an ectoparasitic snail, Coralliophila violacea (Kiener 1836), that specializes on Porites corals in the Indo-Pacific. Previous genetic analyses revealed two sympatric lineages associated with different coral hosts. In this study, we examined the mechanisms promoting and maintaining the snails' adaptation to their coral hosts. Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from type II restriction site-associated DNA (2b-RAD) sequencing revealed two differentiated clusters of C. violacea

SUBMITTER: Simmonds SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7042750 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature