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Genetic structure of the reef grouper E pinephelus merra in the W est I ndian O cean appears congruent with biogeographic and oceanographic boundaries
Author(s) -
Muths Delphine,
Tessier Emmanuel,
Bourjea Jerome
Publication year - 2015
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/maec.12153
Subject(s) - biology , genetic structure , isolation by distance , phylogeography , population , ecology , biological dispersal , genetic diversity , geographical distance , zoology , phylogenetic tree , genetic variation , genetics , demography , sociology , gene
The reef fauna connectivity of the W est I ndian O cean ( WIO ) is one of the least studied globally. Here we use genetic analyses of the grouper E pinephelus merra ( B loch 1793) to determine patterns of connectivity and to identify barriers to dispersal in this WIO marine area. Phylogeographic and population‐level analyses were conducted on cytochrome b sequences and microsatellites (13 loci) from 557 individuals sampled in 15 localities distributed across the W est I ndian O cean. Additional samples from the P acific O cean were used to benchmark the WIO population structure. The high level of divergence revealed between Indian and Pacific localities (of about 4.5% in sequences) might be the signature of the major tectonic and climatic changes operating at the P lio‐ P leistocene transition, congruently with numerous examples of Indo‐Pacific speciation. In comparison, the E. merra sequences from the Indian Ocean constitute a monophyletic clade with a low average genetic distance (d < 0.5%). However both genetic markers indicated some structure within this ocean. The main structure revealed was the isolation of the M aldives from the WIO localities (a different group signature identified by clustering analysis, great values of differentiation). Both marker types reveal further significant structure within the WIO , mainly the isolation of the M ascarene Islands (significant AMOVA and isolation‐by‐distance patterns) and some patchy structure between the northernmost localities and within the M ozambique C hannel. The WIO genetic structure of E. merra appeared congruent with main biogeographic boundaries and oceanographic currents.