Deep genetic divergence in the Southern kingcroaker Menticirrhus americanus in its southernmost distribution

The Southern kingcroaker Menticirrhus americanus, is distributed from Cape Cod (USA) to Argentina. It is considered to be estuarine-dependent as it uses estuarine areas primarily as a nursery. This species is fished throughout a large section of its distribution, so that knowledge of its genetic str...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brazilian journal of oceanography 2017-07, Vol.65 (3), p.515-519
Main Authors: Márquez, Alejandro, Solé-Cava, Antonio Mateo, Pereira, Alfredo Nicolás, Vasconcellos, Anderson, Lessa, Enrique Pablo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological evolution
Brackishwater environment
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Distribution
Divergence
DNA
Estuaries
Gene sequencing
Genetic structure
Marine mammals
Menticirrhus americanus
Mitochondrial DNA
Nucleotide sequence
Nursery grounds
Population differentiation
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Summary:The Southern kingcroaker Menticirrhus americanus, is distributed from Cape Cod (USA) to Argentina. It is considered to be estuarine-dependent as it uses estuarine areas primarily as a nursery. This species is fished throughout a large section of its distribution, so that knowledge of its genetic structure is important for management. Although morphological differences have not been reported, the discrete distribution of estuaries along the southwestern Atlantic coast could have generated different evolutionary units throughout the vast species distribution. In the region, estuarine conditions were proposed as promoting population differentiation in fishes and marine mammals. We used mitochondrial DNA sequences to investigate whether individuals of M. americanus found between the Río de la Plata (36°S) and Espírito Santo (20°S) belong to a single population or are subdivided into distinct populations that should be treated as independent units that could be associated to the discrete distribution of estuaries.
ISSN:1679-8759
1982-436X
1679-8759
1982-436X
DOI:10.1590/s1679-87592017140406503