Genetic structure of yellowfin black seabream Acanthopagrus latus in western Japan based on microsatellite and mtDNA marker analyses

Abstract

Yellowfin black seabream Acanthopagrus latus is an important fish species found in the coastal waters along the Pacific coast of Japan. The genetic variability of A. latus was estimated by analyzing seven populations in western Japan, using highly variable microsatellite loci (n=312) and the sequence variability in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) (n=42). The microsatellite loci revealed a high level of genetic variability, with the mean number of alleles per locus ranging from 22 to 47 and the mean observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.840 to 0.904 across populations. The sequence variability in the control region (289 bp) of 42 individuals yielded 27 haplotypes. The global fixation index (F_ST) of -0.00024 (P>0.05) and 0.0160 (P>0.05) for microsatellites and mtDNA, respectively, suggested that there was no significant differentiation among the seven putative populations. High gene flow caused by random dispersal of pelagic eggs and larvae likely explains the occurrence of a single stock of A. latus in western Japan. Information about the genetic population structure of A. latus can aid in designing proper management strategies for this species in the near future.