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Population genetic structure of the endangered limpet Cymbula nigra in a temperate Northern hemisphere region: influence of palaeoclimatic events?
Author(s) -
Espinosa Free,
Nakano Tomoyuki,
GuerraGarcía Jose M.,
GarcíaGómez Jose C.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
marine ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.668
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1439-0485
pISSN - 0173-9565
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0485.2010.00410.x
Subject(s) - limpet , biology , endangered species , population , genetic structure , ecology , southern hemisphere , temperate climate , genetic diversity , zoology , evolutionary biology , mollusca , genetic variation , genetics , gene , habitat , demography , sociology
Cymbula nigra (da Costa L, 1771) is the largest limpet in Europe and it is at present considered an endangered species. Nevertheless, its biology is poorly understood and there is a lack of knowledge about population genetic structure. A total of 61 C. nigra specimens were sampled and studied for a fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I. The low genetic diversity, the absence of geographic structure, the significant values reported by measures to test for a recent population expansion and a star‐shaped phylogeny pattern are here interpreted as forming a hypothesis concerning the influence of palaeoclimatic events in the genetic pool of limpets, considering also the information available on different limpet species.