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Mitochondrial DNA and microsatellites reveal significant divergence in the beachflea Orchestia montagui (Talitridae: Amphipoda)

  • Talitrids are semiterrestrial crustacean amphipods inhabiting sandy and rocky beaches; they generally show limited active dispersal over long distances. In this study we assessed levels of population genetic structure and variability in the talitrid amphipod Orchestia montagui, a species strictly associated to stranded decaying heaps of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. The study is based on six populations (153 individuals) and covers five basins of the Mediterranean Sea (Tyrrhenian, Ionian, Adriatic, Western and Eastern basins). Samples were screened for polymorphisms at a fragment of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) coding for the cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene (COI; 571 base pairs) and at eight microsatellite loci. MtDNA revealed a relatively homogeneous haplogroup, which clustered together the populations from the Western, Tyrrhenian and Eastern basins, but not the populations from the Adriatic and Ionian ones; microsatellites detected two clusters, one including the Adriatic and Ionian populations, the second grouping all theTalitrids are semiterrestrial crustacean amphipods inhabiting sandy and rocky beaches; they generally show limited active dispersal over long distances. In this study we assessed levels of population genetic structure and variability in the talitrid amphipod Orchestia montagui, a species strictly associated to stranded decaying heaps of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. The study is based on six populations (153 individuals) and covers five basins of the Mediterranean Sea (Tyrrhenian, Ionian, Adriatic, Western and Eastern basins). Samples were screened for polymorphisms at a fragment of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) coding for the cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene (COI; 571 base pairs) and at eight microsatellite loci. MtDNA revealed a relatively homogeneous haplogroup, which clustered together the populations from the Western, Tyrrhenian and Eastern basins, but not the populations from the Adriatic and Ionian ones; microsatellites detected two clusters, one including the Adriatic and Ionian populations, the second grouping all the others. We found a weak geographic pattern in the genetic structuring of the species, with a lack of isolation by distance at either class of markers. Results are discussed in terms of probability of passive dispersal over long distances through heaps of seagrass.show moreshow less

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Author details:Laura Pavesi, Alan Deidun, Elvira De Matthaeis, Ralph TiedemannORCiDGND, Valerio Ketmaier
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-012-0250-y
ISSN:1015-1621
Title of parent work (English):Aquatic sciences : research across boundaries
Publisher:Springer
Place of publishing:Basel
Publication type:Article
Language:English
Year of first publication:2012
Publication year:2012
Release date:2017/03/26
Tag:Mediterranean Sea; Microsatellites; Orchestia montagui; Spatial genetic variation; mtDNA
Volume:74
Issue:3
Number of pages:10
First page:587
Last Page:596
Funding institution:Research Committee of the University of Malta
Organizational units:Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Biochemie und Biologie
Peer review:Referiert
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