Between the current and the coast: genetic connectivity in the spiny lobster Panulirus homarus rubellus, despite potential barriers to gene flow

Genetic structure and life history are key factors in species distribution models of spiny lobsters

“…Recent gene flow and population genetic structure analyses supported a hypothesis that some larvae are retained nearshore by lee eddies and counter currents, and that net gene flow direction was toward the southwest (Singh et al, 2018(Singh et al, , 2019. In the present study, the sea surface SDM for P. h. rubellus attributed nearly 80% of variance to current velocity variables, and the benthic SDM, some 55%.…”

“…Panulirus homarus rubellus inhabits a narrow continental shelf flanked by the upper reaches of the strong western boundary Agulhas Current. Drifting larvae released in this environment can either be retained over the narrow shelf by submesoscale processes, dispersed downstream along the coast, or become entrained in the Agulhas Current and presumably lost offshore (Singh et al, 2019).…”

“…Georeferenced occurrence data for P. homarus were obtained from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (http://www.gbif.org) and the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (http://www.iobis.org). Occurrence data obtained from the published literature were also added (Lavery et al, 2014; Reddy et al., 2014; Singh et al., 2018; Singh et al., 2019). Lobster fishing locations (described by Al‐Breiki et al., 2018; Al Marzouqi, Al‐Nahdi, et al., 2008; Al Marzouqi, Groeneveld, et al., 2008; Amali & Wulan Sari, 2020; Fielding & Mann, 1999; Hariri et al., 2000; Jong, 1993; Mashaei & Rajabipour, 2002, 2003; Priyambodo et al., 2017; Sanders & Bouhlel, 1984; Senevirathna & Munasinghe, 2014; Sultana et al., 2009; Thangaraja et al., 2015) were used to derive additional occurrence data after validation by plotting representative locations on Google Earth (earth.google.com/web/).…”

“…The occurrence data consisted of 114 unique occurrence points throughout the Western Indo-Pacific and the western part of the Central Indo-Pacific ( Figure 1). Grouping of the populations by subspecies was informed by morphological identification of specimens (where available), and genetic and geographic information (Lavery et al, 2014;Singh et al, 2018Singh et al, , 2019.…”

“…Females release larvae with a prolonged (4-6 months) drifting dispersal phase (George, 2005;Phillips & Booth, 1994). The long drifting larval phase is susceptible to the effects of climate change, especially variability in the strength and direction of ocean currents and water temperature (Singh et al, 2018(Singh et al, , 2019. P. homarus comprises three subspecies based on geography and morphological characteristics (Berry, 1974).…”