Genetic diversity and structure of the noble crayfish populations in the Balkan Peninsula revealed by mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA markers

• Published in: PeerJ (San Francisco, CA) CA), 2021-08, Vol.9, p.e11838, Article e11838
• Main Authors: Gross, Riho, Lovrenčić, Leona, Jelić, Mišel, Grandjean, Frederic, Ðuretanović, Simona, Simić, Vladica, Burimski, Oksana, Bonassin, Lena, Groza, Marius-Ioan, Maguire, Ivana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Animal genetics; Aquaculture, Fisheries and Fish Science; Astacus astacus; Biodiversity; Biological diversity; Conservation; Conservation Biology; Cytochrome oxidase subunit I; Decision making; Divergence; DNA; Freshwater Biology; Genetic diversity; Genetic markers; Genetic structure; Genetics; Glacial refugia; Habitats; Haplotypes; Indigenous species; Life Sciences; Mitochondrial DNA; Phylogeny; Pleistocene; Population decline; Population genetics; Population studies; Populations and Evolution; Sample size; South-east Europe; Systematics, Phylogenetics and taxonomy; Zoology
• ISSN: 2167-8359; 2167-8359
• DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11838

The noble crayfish ( ) is a native European species in decline, with a contracting range and diminishing populations and abundance. Previous studies revealed this species significant genetic diversity in the south-eastern Europe, with populations from the western and the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula being the most divergent. However, sampling of populations from the western part of the Balkans was limited and insufficient for investigating genetic diversity and population divergence for the purpose of conservation planning and management. Thus, the major aim of this study was to fill in this knowledge gap by studying mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA diversity, using 413 noble crayfish from 18 populations from waterbodies in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. Phylogenetic analysis of studied populations and their mitochondrial diversity were studied using and sequences and population genetic structure was described using 15 microsatellite loci. Phylogeographic analysis revealed new divergent mitochondrial haplotypes for the populations in the westernmost part of the Balkan Peninsula in the tributaries of the Sava and Drava rivers. Microsatellite data indicated that these populations harbour an important component of genetic diversity within . The results suggest that the western part of the Balkans played an important role as microrefugia during the Pleistocene climate fluctuations, allowing the long term persistence of populations in this region. These results will also be important to supporting conservation decision making and planning.