Full Length Research Paper

Genetic population structure of Ovalipes punctatus revealed by AFLP markers

Cun Gen Yu¹, Zhi Qiang Han^1,3*, Ji Zheng¹, Li Jian Xue² and Tian Xiang Gao^1,3

¹Fishery College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316004 P. R. China.

²Marine Fisheries Research Institute of Zhejiang Province, Zhoushan, 316100

P. R. China.

³The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003 P. R. China.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: d6339124@163.com.

Accepted 3 June, 2010

Abstract

The population genetic structure of sand crab, Ovalipes punctatus in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea was analyzed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). A total of 196 loci were detected by four primer combinations among 95 individuals collected from five locations, 117 of which were polymorphic (59.69%). The proportion of polymorphic loci and Nei’s genetic distances for five populations ranged from 23.15 - 53.49%, and from 0.0029 - 0.0138, respectively. AMOVA analysis and pairwise F_ST revealed significant genetic differentiation among five samples, supporting that there are separate populations of this species. The pattern of isolation by distance indicated that the significant genetic differentiation observed between localities of O. punctatus was mainly due to the geographic distance.

Key words: Ovalipes punctatus, AFLP, genetic structure.