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Population differentiation and taxonomic status of the exploited limpet Patella candei in the Macaronesian islands (Azores, Madeira, Canaries)

Population differentiation and taxonomic status of the exploited limpet Patella candei in the Macaronesian islands (Azores, Madeira, Canaries)
Population differentiation and taxonomic status of the exploited limpet Patella candei in the Macaronesian islands (Azores, Madeira, Canaries)
There has been considerable confusion in the taxonomy of limpets of the North East Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, particularly those from the Macaronesian islands. The present study compared populations of the intertidal limpet Patella candei d'Orbigny from the Azores, Madeira and the Canaries with those of P. caerulea Linnaeus and P. depressa Pennant from the European and African continental coasts. No major differences in radular morphology were detected between the three species. However, electrophoretic analysis of 15 enzyme loci gave overall genetic identity (I) values of sim0.5 between the three species, indicating that they cannot be regarded as conspecific as previously thought, and suggesting that P. candei is endemic to the Macaronesian islands. Comparisons of P. candei within these islands showed that, although populations did not differ with respect to radular morphology and soft-body parts, populations from the Azores were distinct from those in Madeira and the Canaries in shell shape and gene frequencies. Individuals from the Azores had, no average, taller shells and longer radulae, while those in Madeira and the Canaries had a shallow, depressed and stellate shell form. This was interpreted as being due to the wider habitat distribution of the species in the Azores compared to Madeira and the Canaries. Electrophoretic results showed that P. candei from the Azores differed from P. candei in Madeira and the Canaries by almost 40% of the loci investigated (I=0.660), suggesting that the former is a separate endemic species. An I value of 0.969 between populations in Madeira and the Canaries was typical of conspecific populations.
0025-3162
141-152
Côrte-Real, H.B.S.M.
621e935b-338f-44ed-8d28-28b8d6f89975
Hawkins, S.J.
758fe1c1-30cd-4ed1-bb65-2471dc7c11fa
Thorpe, J.P.
2ab73889-db62-416f-9ece-456e09195dcb
Côrte-Real, H.B.S.M.
621e935b-338f-44ed-8d28-28b8d6f89975
Hawkins, S.J.
758fe1c1-30cd-4ed1-bb65-2471dc7c11fa
Thorpe, J.P.
2ab73889-db62-416f-9ece-456e09195dcb

Côrte-Real, H.B.S.M., Hawkins, S.J. and Thorpe, J.P. (1996) Population differentiation and taxonomic status of the exploited limpet Patella candei in the Macaronesian islands (Azores, Madeira, Canaries). Marine Biology, 125 (1), 141-152. (doi:10.1007/BF00350768).

Record type: Article

Abstract

There has been considerable confusion in the taxonomy of limpets of the North East Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, particularly those from the Macaronesian islands. The present study compared populations of the intertidal limpet Patella candei d'Orbigny from the Azores, Madeira and the Canaries with those of P. caerulea Linnaeus and P. depressa Pennant from the European and African continental coasts. No major differences in radular morphology were detected between the three species. However, electrophoretic analysis of 15 enzyme loci gave overall genetic identity (I) values of sim0.5 between the three species, indicating that they cannot be regarded as conspecific as previously thought, and suggesting that P. candei is endemic to the Macaronesian islands. Comparisons of P. candei within these islands showed that, although populations did not differ with respect to radular morphology and soft-body parts, populations from the Azores were distinct from those in Madeira and the Canaries in shell shape and gene frequencies. Individuals from the Azores had, no average, taller shells and longer radulae, while those in Madeira and the Canaries had a shallow, depressed and stellate shell form. This was interpreted as being due to the wider habitat distribution of the species in the Azores compared to Madeira and the Canaries. Electrophoretic results showed that P. candei from the Azores differed from P. candei in Madeira and the Canaries by almost 40% of the loci investigated (I=0.660), suggesting that the former is a separate endemic species. An I value of 0.969 between populations in Madeira and the Canaries was typical of conspecific populations.

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Published date: 1996

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Local EPrints ID: 188745
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/188745
ISSN: 0025-3162
PURE UUID: 52ed9c08-700a-4ca4-a8da-7f371543f91f

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Date deposited: 27 May 2011 09:37
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 03:33

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Author: H.B.S.M. Côrte-Real
Author: S.J. Hawkins
Author: J.P. Thorpe

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