Wide-range genetic connectivity of Coney, Cephalopholis fulva (Epinephelidae), through oceanic islands and continental Brazilian coast

Abstract

The Epinephelidae form a group of species of high biological and economical interests. It´s phylogeographic patterns are not well known especially the distributed populations in the western region of the Atlantic Ocean. Among the representatives is a small species called Cephalopholis fulva, Coney, which presents a wide geographical distribution, polychromia, hermaphroditism and is quickly becoming a large target for the exploration of commercial fishing. The genetic and historical demography were obtained through the partial sequence analysis of Control Region from six locations on the coastline of Brazil from the northeast coast to the southwest coast, including the oceanic islands of Rocas Atoll and Fernando de Noronha Archipelago. The analyzed samples revealed a high genetic variability and a strong gene flow among the sampled locations. Additionally, the genetic data revealed that population expansions probably occurred due to the changes in the sea levels that occurred during the Pleistocene. The large population connectivity found in Coney constitutes relevant conditions for their biological conservation.

Mitochondrial DNA evidences reflect an incipient population structure in Atlantic goliath grouper (<em>Epinephelus itajara</em>, Epinephelidae) in Brazil

“…These genetic diversity values differ from the high values reported by Rivera et al (2004) for E. quernus in Hawaii (USA) and by Souza et al (2015) for Cephalopholis fulva (Epinephelidae) on the Brazilian coast, although they are similar to the values reported for other species of reef fish (Zhang et al 2006, Hobbs et al 2013). The reduced genetic diversity of the Atlantic goliath grouper has been related to overfishing and the loss of habitats (Silva-Oliveira et al 2008), and the accentuated decline of the populations of this species throughout its area of distribution in recent years (McClenachan 2009, Coleman andKoenig 2010) may exert a negative influence on its genetic diversity in the near future, further underscoring its status as a critically endangered species.…”

“…Thus, genetic structuring among the geographically close population units analysed in the present study indicates the occurrence of certain limitations on larval dispersal. A lack of any systematic relationship between genetic patterns and geographic distribution has also been found in genetic studies of reef fish on the Brazilian coast, including Ocyurus chrysurus (Lutjanidae) (Vasconcellos et al 2008) and Cephalopholis fulva (Epinephelidae) (Souza et al 2015). Significant genetic structuring, with relatively reduced variation between populations (Φ CT ), has been detected in a number of marine fishes (Zhang et al 2006, Cunha et al 2014 and may indicate the occurrence of intermittent gene flow (Hébert et al 2000) between the coastal areas analysed in this study.…”

“…The circulation patterns of the Brazil Current and North Brazil Current in the South Atlantic (Soutelino et al 2013), sedimentation events on the coastal plain that caused fluctuations in the sea level during the Last Glacial Maximum at the beginning of the Holocene (Andrade et al 2003), and the effects of the Intertropical Convergence Zone at low latitudes (Zabel et al 2003) may all have influenced the distribution of the species in coastal environments, resulting in asynchrony in the process of population expansion in different geographic areas (Souza et al 2015). Regional and local oceanic circulation patterns (Teixeira et al 2013) may also play an important role in the dispersal of eggs, as well as the recruitment of larvae and juveniles (Nonaka et al 2000).…”

A reappraisal of Stegastes species occurring in the South Atlantic using morphological and molecular data

“…Morphological variations with no genetic differences have been explained as phenotypic plasticity, recent isolation, incomplete limits between species, or the product of selection [4]. On the other hand, so-called polytypic species, in which genetically similar individuals of one species display conspicuously different coloration or morphology, occur more frequently [4,5].…”

Population genetic structure of an estuarine and a reef fish species exploited by Brazilian artisanal fishing

“…Along the Brazilian coast, evidence of a genetic pattern related to geographic distribution was not observed in Ocyurus chrysurus (Lutjanidae) (Vasconcellos et al 2008) or Cephalopholis fulva (Epinephelidae) (De Souza et al 2015). Such evidence was also not found in some studies on Epinephelus itajara (Epinephelidae) (SilvaOliveira et al 2008, Damasceno et al 2015.…”