DNA fingerprints of Caulerpa taxifolia provide evidence for the introduction of an aquarium strain into the Mediterranean Sea and its close relationship to an Australian population |
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| Authors: | J Wiedenmann A Baumstark T L Pillen A Meinesz W Vogel |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of General Zoology and Endocrinology, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany e-mail: Joerg.Wiedenmann@biologie.uni-ulm.de Fax: +49-731-5022581, DE;(2) Department of Medical Genetics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany, DE;(3) Research Station Fetovaia, Hydra-Institute of Marine Sciences, 57034 Marina di Campo, Elba, Italy, IT;(4) Laboratoire Environnement Marin Littoral, University of Nice – Sophia Antipolis, 06108 Nice Cedex 2, France, FR |
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| Abstract: | The occurrence of Caulerpa taxifolia in the Mediterranean Sea was reported for the first time in 1984. Since then the alga has spread rapidly and is now considered
to be a potential threat to sublittoral ecosystems. Two hypotheses on the origin of the Mediterranean strain of C. taxifolia have been discussed in the literature. One hypothesis assumed migration of the alga from the Red Sea, the other introduction
via a public aquarium. The hypothesis of a descent from an aquarium strain has been supported strongly by recent studies based
on DNA sequences. The DNA fingerprints of C. taxifolia presented here also provide evidence for the descent of the Mediterranean C. taxifolia from an aquarium strain. Furthermore, the present study shows that a strain of C. taxifolia from Manly Harbour/Moreton Bay (Australia) is closely related to the aquarium/Mediterranean strain. The feasibility of detecting
similar genotypes by restriction digests of total DNA is demonstrated, which will facilitate the ongoing search for further
relatives of Mediterranean C. taxifolia.
Received: 20 June 2000 / Accepted: 27 September 2000 |
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