Genetic divergence in the snorkel snail, Rhiostoma housei, a species complex in Thailand (Caenogastropoda: Cyclophoridae)

Abstract

Abstract Allozyme variation was examined in 292 samples of the snorkel snail, Rhiostoma housei, collected from 12 localities within four regions of Thailand. Ten allozyme loci were screened across all the samples using horizontal starch gel electrophoresis, and eight of these loci, from eight enzyme systems, were found to be polymorphic. Within these eight loci the expected heterozygosity (Hexp) was moderate to high ranging from 0.015 to 0.148 with an overall mean of 0.081 ± 0.041, whilst a high genetic heterogeneity among samples was found (Fst = 0.798). R. housei exhibited a weak pattern of isolation by distance over the entire tested species range in Thailand. The high Fst and moderate to high Hexp suggest gene flow amongst populations is partially restricted resulting in fragmentation into local gene pools. Based on allele frequencies and an allozyme dendrogram, six groups were identified, and these entities may represent separate biological species. The large values of genetic distances and fixed allelic differences obtained for each combination of allopatric samples imply the presence of cryptic species under the name R. housei.