Abstract
A population of the cosmopolitan deep-sea ophiuran Ophiomusium lymani was studied by gel electrophoresis, and proved to be highly variable genetically; about 53% of the 15 loci studied are polymorphic, and the average individual is heterozygous at about 17% of the loci. This is approximately the same genetic variability displayed by other species, belonging to other phyla or classes, from the same deep-sea trawl. A similarly high level of genetic variation occurs in deep-sea organisms in general, and in a shallow-water tropical species. Both the deep-sea and the tropics are trophically stable environments. On the other hand, low genetic variabilities have been found in marine species from trophically unstable environments. These data suggest that any phylogenetic effects on genetic variability are secondary, and that the trophic regime may be of major importance in determining genetic strategies of adaptation.
Highlights
During a broad preliminary survey of genetic variability among marine invertebrates, we have trawled for deep-sea species and have recovered a sample of Ophiomusium lymani from moderately deep water off San Diego
We have determined the genetic variability of this population of Ophiomusium lymani by techniques of gel electrophoresis
Variation was detected in I! of the 15 zones of enzymatic activity studied in Ophiomusium lymani
Summary
During a broad preliminary survey of genetic variability among marine invertebrates, we have trawled for deep-sea species and have recovered a sample of Ophiomusium lymani from moderately deep water off San Diego. We have determined the genetic variability of this population of Ophiomusium lymani by techniques of gel electrophoresis. These techniques allow estimating, at least to a first approximation, the amount of genetic variation over the whole genome of a population or a species. Our study of O. lymani stems from an interest in the general question of genetic variability of species living in the relatively monotonous deep-sea environment. This is the first study of genetic variability based on a large population of ophiurans and, O. lymani is the most widely-distributed species for which genetic variation has been surveyed at a moderately large number of loci
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