No evidence for genetic differentiation between Antarctic limpet Nacella concinna morphotypes |
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Authors: | J I Hoffman L S Peck G Hillyard A Zieritz M S Clark |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK;(2) British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK |
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Abstract: | The extent to which genetic divergence can occur in the absence of physical barriers to gene flow is currently one of the
most controversial topics in evolutionary biology, with implications for our understanding of speciation, phenotypic plasticity
and adaptive potential. This is illustrated by a recent study reporting a surprising pattern of genetic differentiation between
intertidal and subtidal morphotypes of the broadcast-spawning Antarctic limpet Nacella concinna. To explore this further, we collected almost 400 Antarctic limpets from four depths (intertidal, 6, 15 and 25 m) at Adelaide
island, Antarctica, and conducted a combined morphometric and genetic analysis using 168 polymorphic amplified fragment length
polymorphism (AFLP) loci. Morphological analysis revealed not only pronounced differences between the two morphotypes, but
also a continuous cline in shell shape from the intertidal zone down to 25 m depth, suggesting that the distinction between
the morphotypes may be artificial. Moreover, genetic analysis using both F
st and a Bayesian analogue found no evidence for differentiation either between the two morphotypes or by depth, and a Bayesian
cluster analysis did not detect any cryptic genetic structure. Our findings lend support to the notion that limpets can be
phenotypically highly plastic, although further studies are required to determine unequivocally whether there is any genetic
basis to the observed variation in shell morphology. |
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