Population Genetic Structure of the Bonnethead Shark, Sphyrna tiburo, from the Western North Atlantic Ocean Based on mtDNA Sequences.

Abstract

The population genetic structure of 251 bonnethead sharks, Sphyrna tiburo, from estuarine and nearshore ocean waters of the Western North Atlantic Ocean (WNA), was assessed using sequences of the mitochondrial DNA-control region. Highly significant genetic differences were observed among bonnetheads from 3 WNA regions; Atlantic coast of Florida, Gulf coast of Florida, and southwestern Gulf of Mexico (analysis of molecular variance, ΦCT = 0.137; P=0.001). Within the Gulf coast of Florida region, small but significant genetic differences were observed between bonnetheads from neighboring estuaries. These overall patterns were consistent with known latitudinal and inshore-offshore movements that occur seasonally for this species within US waters, and with the residency patterns and high site fidelity to feeding/nursery grounds reported in estuaries along the Atlantic coast of Florida and South Carolina. Historical demography also supported the occurrence of past population expansions occurring during Pleistocene glacial-interglacial cycles that caused drastic reductions in bonnethead population size, as a consequence of the eustatic processes that affected the Florida peninsula. This is the first population genetics study for bonnetheads to report genetic divergence among core abundance areas in US and Mexican waters of the WNA. These results, coupled with recent advances in knowledge regarding regional differences in life-history parameters of this species, are critical for defining management units to guide future management strategies for bonnetheads within US waters and across international boundaries into Mexico.