Molecular and genetic variability in populations of Syngnathus nigrolineatus Eichwald 1831 and ways of expansion in the Volga River basins on the basis of mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis

Abstract

The samplings from five populations of S. nigrolineatus are studied: Kuybyshev reservoir, Volgograd reservoir, Volga delta, Caspian Sea, and Black Sea. Ninety-two sequences of the mtDNA cytochrome b gene (507 bp) are obtained. Common haplotypes are found for the populations of the Volga reservoirs, delta of the Volga River, and the Black Sea. The population from the Caspian Sea has no common haplotypes with the other ones. The populations from the Black and Caspian seas are genetically isolated groups. The populations of the Volga reservoirs are the Black Sea ones on the basis of their origin.