Phylogeography of Patelloida pygmaea along the China coast

Abstract

Patelloida pygmaea is one of the most abundantly distributed intertidal marine gastropods along the China coast. The mitochondrial (COI) and internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) DNA of P. pygmaea, one hundred and thirty-seven samples collected from 13 localities along its distribution along the China coast, were used to investigate the phylogeographic patterns of P. pygmaea. Phylogeographic analysis revealed three distinct phylogeographic clades, the South China Sea (SCSC), the Bohai and Yellow Sea (BYSC), and the East China Sea (ECSC) clades. The results of AMOVA showed significant genetic differentiation (P 0.05). Phylogeographic patterns of P. pygmaea have been primarily affected by Pleistocene climatic oscillations and environmental conditions. During the glacial periods, the sea regressed and moist and warm conditions, characterizing glacial refugia, became prevalent in the region and caused isolated P. pygmaea populations to expand.