Abstract
The genetic variation and differentiation of the razor clam Sinonovacula constricta distributed along the coast of China were studied through amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis. Six primer combinations generated 193 fragments. The H e values varied from 0.322 to 0.463 and the percentage of polymorphic loci ranged from 74.1% to 98.4%, which indicates a high level of genetic diversity. Cluster analysis by Nei’s pairwise distance grouped all specimens by geographical origins. AMOVA consistently showed that genetic variation among populations was 8.71%, and most of the variation came from the genetic variation within populations (91.29%). Genetic differentiation among the six populations was moderate; pairwise F ST ranged from 0.0282 to 0.1480, which indicated that S. constricta populations along the coast of China are genetically connected. Among all the six populations, the Beihai population is the mostly differentiated from the others, suggesting that Hainan Island and Leizhou Peninsula act as barriers to gene flow. All populations abide isolation by distance model as indicated by Mantel test, except for ZS (Zhoushan) and YQ (Yueqing) populations. Information obtained in this study will provide guidelines for conservation and fishery management of this species in the future.
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