Population structure of Dover sole Solea solea: RAPD and allozyme data indicate divergence in European stocks

Abstract

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (PCR-RAPD) analysis was used to estimate genetic variation within and between 6 Northeast Atlantic populations of Dover sole Solea solea (L.). A total of 16 fish were randomly selected from each population, and the results were compared with allozyme variation within and between populations. Results from both methods were in general agreement, but the RAPD technique detected higher levels of genetic variation. Contingency analyses (allele frequencies and hierarchical F ST and non-hierarchical F DT ) indicated highly significant genetic heterogeneity between populations. This result is consistent with the life history of Dover sole, which have homing behavior and discrete spawning grounds. Divergence between populations is indicated by cluster analyses of both allozymes and RAPD data. However, allozymes provided a somewhat better fit of data to predictions (higher values of cophenetic correlation of clusters from the goodness-of-fit statistics) and better correlation between genetic and geographical distances (Mantel's r). Both allozyme and RAPD data indicate that the samples can be clustered into two groups; continental Europe (Bay of Biscay and German Bight) and British Isles (Cumbria, Isle of Man, Ireland and North Sea). Despite the small geographical separation at the closest point, the English Channel may provide a barrier to gene flow between populations of Dover sole around the coasts of Britain and those on the coast of continental Europe.

Seasonal migration and environmental conditions of Pacific halibut Hippoglossus stenolepis, elucidated from pop-up archival transmitting (PAT) tags

“…For example, western Atlantic winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus spawn demersal eggs in estuaries favoring larval retention (Manderson et al 2003), generating local population structure (Sogard et al 2001). NE Atlantic Dover sole Solea solea display modest seasonal dispersion, with overlap on spawning grounds (Horwood 1993, Koutsikopoulos et al 1995, thus largely conforming to a model of separation-by-distance (Exadactylos et al 2003). Western Atlantic summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus are offshore-spawners (Able et al 1990) that appear to be reasonably homogeneous with respect to subpopulations north versus south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (Jones & Quattro 1999, Burke et al 2000.…”

Spatial variability in digenean metacercariae infection of 0-group common sole Solea solea among nurseries along the French Atlantic coast

“…Various large scale factors affecting both hosts and parasites may explain these latitudinal discrepancies (Rohde 2005). Since sole populations in the northeastern Atlantic region are genetically homogeneous (Exadactylos et al 2003, Rolland et al 2007), the hypothesis of differential host genetic resistance (Combes 2001) among regions can be rejected. Mean surface seawater temperature is generally lower in the English Channel than in the Bay of Biscay (Maillard 1986).…”

RAPD analysis of southern populations of Gammarus locusta: comparison with allozyme data and ecological inferences

“…Heipel et al 1998, Exadactylos et al 2003, Star et al 2003. One such molecular technique is random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting.…”