Abstract
Recently, tilapia have become increasingly important in aquaculture and fisheries worldwide. They are one of the major protein sources in many African countries and are helping to combat malnutrition. Therefore, maintenance and conservation genetics of wild populations of tilapia are of great significance. In this study, we report the population genetic structure and genetic diversity of the redbelly tilapia (Coptodon zillii) in three different Egyptian aquatic environments: brackish (Lake Idku), marine (Al‐Max Bay), and freshwater (Lake Nasser). The habitat differences, environmental factors, and harvesting pressures are the main characteristics of the sampling sites. Three mitochondrial DNA markers (COI: cytochrome oxidase subunit I; the D‐loop; CYTB: cytochrome b) were used to assess population structure differences among the three populations. The population at Lake Nasser presented the highest genetic diversity (H d = 0.8116, H = 6), and the marine population of Al‐Max Bay the lowest (H d = 0.2391, H = 4) of the combined sequences. In addition, the phylogenetic haplotype network showed private haplotypes in each environmental habitat. Results presented here will be useful in aquaculture to introduce the appropriate broodstock for future aquaculture strategies of C. zillii. In addition, evidence of population structure may contribute to the management of tilapia fisheries in Egyptian waters.
Highlights
The native African tilapiine fish belonging to the family Cichlidae (Teleostei, Perciformes) are widely distributed among tropical, subtropical, and temperate zones (Fryer & Iles, 1972; Pillay, 1990)
The results of this study are the first genetic study on the Egyptian populations of C. zillii based on three mtDNA markers (COI, D-loop, and Cytochrome b gene (CYTB)), and these data will be useful to assess population structure, which is needed for aquaculture and fisheries management
We found clear genetic population structure in the redbelly tilapia, Coptodon zilli, among three different types of Egyptian aquatic habitats
Summary
The native African tilapiine fish belonging to the family Cichlidae (Teleostei, Perciformes) are widely distributed among tropical, subtropical, and temperate zones (Fryer & Iles, 1972; Pillay, 1990). The Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, together with O. aureus, Coptodon zillii, and Sarotherodon galilaeus are important aquaculture and/or fisheries species in Egypt (El-Sayed, 2004, 2006). Known previously as Tilapia zillii, is one of the widely distributed tilapia species found throughout Egyptian waters. It has been recorded in freshwater and brackish lakes (Alsayes, Shehata, & Soliman, 2008), lagoons (Chervinski, 1972), the Nile River (El-Bokhty & El-Far, 2014), the Mediterranean Sea (Akel & Moharram, 2007; Chervinski, 1987), and the Red Sea (Bayoumi, 1969). The results of this study are the first genetic study on the Egyptian populations of C. zillii based on three mtDNA markers (COI, D-loop, and CYTB), and these data will be useful to assess population structure, which is needed for aquaculture and fisheries management
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