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Advances in the aquatic sciences
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Looking through glassfish: marine genetic structure in an estuarine species

Courtenay E. Mills A B , Wade L. Hadwen A and Jane M. Hughes A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld 4111, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: courtenay.mills@griffith.edu.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 59(7) 627-637 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF07215
Submitted: 8 November 2007  Accepted: 18 May 2008   Published: 24 July 2008

Abstract

Through the use of mitochondrial DNA (ATP8 gene), the prediction of intermediate genetic structuring was investigated in two species of estuarine glassfish (Ambassis marianus and Ambassis jacksoniensis) (Perciformes : Ambassidae) to determine the possibility of a generalised ‘estuarine’ genetic structure. Individuals were collected from estuaries in eastern Australia between Tin Can Bay (Queensland) in the north and Kempsey (New South Wales) in the south. Analysis of the haplotype frequencies found in this region suggested panmictic populations with star-like phylogenies with extremely high levels of genetic diversity, but with no correlation between geographic distance and genetic distance. Non-significant FST and ΦST suggested extensive dispersal among estuaries. However, Tajima’s D and Fu’s FS values suggest ‘mutation–genetic drift equilibrium’ has not been reached, and that population expansions occurring 262 000 (A. marianus) and 300 000 (A. jacksoniensis) years ago may obscure any phylogeographic structuring or isolation by distance. The finding of panmixia was contrary to the prediction of genetic structuring intermediate between that of marine fish (shallowly structured) and freshwater fish (highly structured), suggesting high dispersal capabilities in these species.

Additional keywords: ambassid, estuaries, phylogeography.


Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dan Schmidt and Joel Huey for helpful remarks on the initial manuscript, in addition to the two anonymous referees for their comments. James Fawcett, Ana Dobson and Nick Allan provided invaluable assistance in the field; and Matthew Baddock advised us with geological queries. The Griffith Geeks gave support in many areas of this project. The Australian Rivers Institute provided research and travel funds. Fish were sampled under Griffith University ethics permit AES/02/06/AEC, NSW Scientific Research Permit P06/0050 and Queensland Fisheries Permit #55263.


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