Genetic analyses reveal temporal stability and connectivity pattern in blue and red shrimp Aristeus antennatus populations

Melania Agulló,María Inés Roldán,Manuel Vera,Laia Planella,Sandra Heras,José-Luis García-Marín

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-78634-2

Melania Agulló, María Inés Roldán + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78634-2

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Abstract

Temporal variability of the genetic structure and connectivity patterns of the blue and red shrimp Aristeus antennatus in the seven most important fishing grounds of the Western Mediterranean Sea, were assessed using twelve microsatellite loci during 2 consecutive years (2016 and 2017), in a total of 1403 adult individuals. A high level of geographical connectivity among groups was observed in the two studied years. In fact, no significant geographical differentiation was found in 2016 (FST = 0.0018, p > 0.05), whereas it was indicated in 2017 (FST = 0.0025, p < 0.05). This small divergence in 2017 was not attributed to the distance among locations nor to the effect of the Ibiza Channel. Significant allele frequency changes were found at local level between the 2 years (FCT = 0.0006, p < 0.05), mainly due to Blanes’ fishing ground. Larval dispersal from the North to the South through the main superficial current supports the high level of connectivity pattern found. The temporal genetic instability detected in the Blanes’ fishing ground could be explained by oceanographic temporary features. Our findings evidence only one biological unit in the study region and establish the baseline for an inter-federal management plan of A. antennatus.

Highlights

Temporal variability of the genetic structure and connectivity patterns of the blue and red shrimp Aristeus antennatus in the seven most important fishing grounds of the Western Mediterranean Sea, were assessed using twelve microsatellite loci during 2 consecutive years (2016 and 2017), in a total of 1403 adult individuals
There are some factors that could be responsible for these deviations from Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) genotypic proportions, such as inbreeding, null alleles or subpopulation structure
According to a recent study about the mating structure of A. antennatus, most of the mating individuals of the spawning groups are not r elated[33], so we did not consider inbreeding to be the cause of the HWE disequilibrium found in our results

Summary

Introduction

Temporal variability of the genetic structure and connectivity patterns of the blue and red shrimp Aristeus antennatus in the seven most important fishing grounds of the Western Mediterranean Sea, were assessed using twelve microsatellite loci during 2 consecutive years (2016 and 2017), in a total of 1403 adult individuals. Aristeus antennatus mainly inhabits the muddy bottoms of the upper and middle slope where it is commercially exploited, but it is found at the lower slope, nonexploited by fishery[4] This species has temporal movements between the open slope and the margins of submarine canyons[3,4]. The Ibiza Channel (Fig. 1) is a passage between Ibiza island and the mainland at Cape La Nao, which due to its narrowness (80 km width and 800 m depth)[27] has been considered an oceanographic barrier limiting the dispersion of marine species and the genetic connectivity[23,28]

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