Contrasted levels of genetic diversity in a benthic Mediterranean octocoral: Consequences of different demographic histories?

Abstract

Understanding the factors explaining the observed patterns of genetic diversity is an important question in evolutionary biology. We provide the first data on the genetic structure of a Mediterranean octocoral, the yellow gorgonian Eunicella cavolini, along with insights into the demographic history of this species. We sampled populations in four areas of the Mediterranean Sea: continental France, Algeria, Turkey, and the Balearic and Corsica islands. Along French coasts, three sites were sampled at two depths (20 and 40 m). We demonstrated a high genetic structure in this species (overall FST = 0.13), and most pairwise differentiation tests were significant. We did not detect any difference between depths at the same site. Clustering analyses revealed four differentiated groups corresponding to the main geographical areas. The levels of allelic richness and heterozygosity were significantly different between regions, with highest diversity in Algeria and lowest levels in Turkey. The highest levels of private allelic richness were observed in Algeria followed by Turkey. Such contrasted patterns of genetic diversity were not observed in other Mediterranean octocorals and could be the result of different evolutionary histories. We also provide new empirical evidence of contrasting results between tests and model‐based studies of demographic history. Our results have important consequences for the management of this species.

From depth to regional spatial genetic differentiation of Eunicella cavolini in the NW Mediterranean

“…currents, barriers) and Over seven comparisons between depths, only in two sites we found no genetic difference with 463 depths. This is partly contradictory with the lack of genetic differentiation observed between depths 464 in the Marseille area (Masmoudi et al, 2016), where seven loci (six loci in the present paper) and a 465…”

De Novo Transcriptome Assembly and Population Genetic Analyses for an Endangered Chinese Endemic Acer miaotaiense (Aceraceae)

“…Genetic diversity is the result of the long-term evolution of species or populations [ 48 , 49 ] and makes it possible to adapt to a changing environment. In particular, it is important to explore the causes and processes of rare or endangered species [ 50 ].…”

Unexpected mosaic distribution of two hybridizing sibling lineages in the teleplanically dispersing snail Stramonita haemastoma suggests unusual postglacial redistribution or cryptic invasion

“…Genetic differentiation has often been reported within the Mediterranean occidental basin in restricted dispersers (Boissin, Hoareau, Féral, & Chenuil, 2008; Rastorgueff, Chevaldonné, Arslan, Verna, & Lejeusne, 2014), but rarely in species with larval dispersal. Mediterranean corals showed strong population differentiation in this region (Ledoux et al., 2010; Masmoudi et al., 2016; Mokhtar‐Jamai et al., 2011), but the effective dispersal distance of these species is debated, and cryptic semi‐isolated ecotypes are suspected (Aurelle et al., 2017). Only the edible sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus shares a long larval duration and within‐basin genetic differentiation that was also found unexpected by (Penant, Aurelle, Feral, & Chenuil, 2013), although the genetic structure was not as strong and clear‐cut as found here in S. haemastoma .…”