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Population differentiation of the shore crab Carcinus maenas (Brachyura: Portunidae) on the southwest English coast based on genetic and morphometric analyses

Population differentiation of the shore crab Carcinus maenas (Brachyura: Portunidae) on the southwest English coast based on genetic and morphometric analyses
Population differentiation of the shore crab Carcinus maenas (Brachyura: Portunidae) on the southwest English coast based on genetic and morphometric analyses
Carcinus maenas has a planktonic larval phase which can potentially disperse over large distances. Consequently, larval transport is expected to play an important role in promoting gene flow and determining population structure. In the present study, population structuring on the southwest coast of England was analysed using molecular and morphometric approaches. Variation at eight microsatellite loci suggested that the individuals sampled within this region comprise a single genetic population and that gene now among them is not restricted. Nevertheless, the F-ST values estimated across loci for all populations suggested that the Tamar population was significantly different from the Exe, Camel and Torridge populations. This differentiation is not explained by isolation by distance, and coastal hydrological events that are apparently influencing larval flux might be the cause of this pattern. Morphometric analysis was also performed. Analysis of carapace and chela shape variation using landmark-based geometric morphometrics revealed extensive morphological variability, as the multivariate analysis of variance showed significant morphometric differences among geographic groups for both sexes. Thus, the morphological differentiation found may be a plastic response to habitat-specific selection pressures.
0214-8358
435-444
Silva, Inês C.
879f03b7-7344-4178-8a69-d1b965f2316c
Alves, M. Judite
534b97c9-2da1-4154-bc13-cdca152fc46c
Paula, Jose
7b9386c3-ce17-40a1-93e1-90a86fda69e4
Hawkins, Stephen J.
758fe1c1-30cd-4ed1-bb65-2471dc7c11fa
Silva, Inês C.
879f03b7-7344-4178-8a69-d1b965f2316c
Alves, M. Judite
534b97c9-2da1-4154-bc13-cdca152fc46c
Paula, Jose
7b9386c3-ce17-40a1-93e1-90a86fda69e4
Hawkins, Stephen J.
758fe1c1-30cd-4ed1-bb65-2471dc7c11fa

Silva, Inês C., Alves, M. Judite, Paula, Jose and Hawkins, Stephen J. (2010) Population differentiation of the shore crab Carcinus maenas (Brachyura: Portunidae) on the southwest English coast based on genetic and morphometric analyses. Scientia Marina, 74 (3), 435-444. (doi:10.3989/scimar.2010.74n3435).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Carcinus maenas has a planktonic larval phase which can potentially disperse over large distances. Consequently, larval transport is expected to play an important role in promoting gene flow and determining population structure. In the present study, population structuring on the southwest coast of England was analysed using molecular and morphometric approaches. Variation at eight microsatellite loci suggested that the individuals sampled within this region comprise a single genetic population and that gene now among them is not restricted. Nevertheless, the F-ST values estimated across loci for all populations suggested that the Tamar population was significantly different from the Exe, Camel and Torridge populations. This differentiation is not explained by isolation by distance, and coastal hydrological events that are apparently influencing larval flux might be the cause of this pattern. Morphometric analysis was also performed. Analysis of carapace and chela shape variation using landmark-based geometric morphometrics revealed extensive morphological variability, as the multivariate analysis of variance showed significant morphometric differences among geographic groups for both sexes. Thus, the morphological differentiation found may be a plastic response to habitat-specific selection pressures.

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Published date: 2010

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Local EPrints ID: 187771
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/187771
ISSN: 0214-8358
PURE UUID: 9c35764a-e2b3-4b90-ac55-29b28e91617d

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Date deposited: 18 May 2011 10:22
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 03:27

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Contributors

Author: Inês C. Silva
Author: M. Judite Alves
Author: Jose Paula

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