Genetic structure and population dynamics of wreckfish (Polyprion americanus) in the North Atlantic

• Main Authors: Pita, A. (Alfonso), Matusse, N. (Nédia), Pérez, M. (Montse), Presa, P. (Pablo)
• Format: Still Image
• Language: English
• Published: Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo 2014
• Subjects: Wreckfish; Polyprion americanus; microsatellites; worldwide distribution; Indian; Pacific; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10508/2593; http://hdl.handle.net/10261/315308

The wreckfish Polyprion americanus is a long-living pelagic fish with a demersal adult phase that shows an antitropical distribution along the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Previous genetic studies have suggested a significant differentiation between North Atlantic and South Atlantic populations using mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite markers. Nevertheless it remains elusive whether further structuring exists within the apparently homogeneous north Atlantic stock. We have applied neutral microsatellite markers to temporal wreckfish samples from the whole north Atlantic in order to clarify the above scenario. Experimental data showed a global 12.7% differentiation among samples mainly due to divergence among three different gene pools: North Atlantic, South Atlantic and Oceania. However, Atlantic populations seem to be systematically connected through longitudinal migrations from Caroline waters to south-western Euro-African waters. This result is key to understand wreckfish population dynamics as well as to properly design its exploitation rules.