Full Length Research Paper

Population genetic structure of coral reef species Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus in South China Sea

Zhi Qiang Han^1#, Yong Zhen Li^2#, Guo Bao Chen² and Tian Xiang Gao¹*

¹The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao. 266003 P. R. China.

²Marine Fishery Resources Division, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou. 510300 P.R. China.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: gaozhang@ouc.edu.cn. Tel: 86-532-82032063. Fax: 86-532-82032076.

^#These authors contributed equally to this work.

Accepted 24 April, 2008

The population genetic structure and the dispersal ability of Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus from South China Sea were examined with a 464 bp segment of mtDNA control region. A total of 116 individuals were collected from 12 coral reefs in Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha archipelagos and 22 haplotypes were obtained. Two lineages were detected, which might have diverged in different glacial refuge during Pleistocene low sea levels. Contrary to homogenization expectation, AMOVA and pairwise F_ST revealed significant genetic structure between Nansha and other two archipelagos (Xisha and Zhongsha). Pattern of isolation by distance was observed in this species, suggesting that mean dispersal distance of P. flavomaculatus is no more than 300 km. The different environment in glacial ages may cause the different pattern of population demography in lineages (stable model in lineage A and sudden expansion model in lineage B).

Key words: Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus, genetic structure, mitochondrial DNA.