Global genetic homogeneity in the deep-sea foraminiferan Epistominella exigua (Rotaliida: Pseudoparrellidae)*

Epistominella exigua is one of the most common deep-sea foraminiferal morphospecies and has a world-wide distribution. A recent molecular study revealed high genetic similarity between Arctic, Atlantic and Antarctic populations of this species. Here, we show that the small-subunit (SSU) and internal...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Beatrice Lecroq, Andrew John Gooday, Jan Pawlowski
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
Subjects:
deep-sea diversity
meiofauna
Foraminifera
SSU rDNA
ITS rDNA
geographic distribution
Arctic
Antarctic
Pacific
Antarc*
Foraminifera*
Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.192.9287
http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2009/f/zt02096p032.pdf
Description
Summary:Epistominella exigua is one of the most common deep-sea foraminiferal morphospecies and has a world-wide distribution. A recent molecular study revealed high genetic similarity between Arctic, Atlantic and Antarctic populations of this species. Here, we show that the small-subunit (SSU) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA sequences of an E. exigua population from Pacific are almost identical to those reported previously from the other three oceans. This result confirms the genetic homogeneity of E. exigua, which contrasts with the prevalence of highly differentiated populations in planktonic and shallow-water benthic foraminiferans. We discuss special features of diversifications mechanisms in the deep sea that may be responsible for the lack of genetic differentiation and global distribution of some meiofauna species.

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