Shallow phylogeographic structuring of Vimba vimba across Europe suggests two distinct refugia during the last glaciation.

Genetic variation and geographical structuring of vimba Vimba vimba were analysed across 26 sites (80 individuals) by means of mtDNA sequences (cyt b gene, mitochondrial control region) to localize hypothesized glacial refugia and to reconstruct postglacial recoloniation routes. Although genetic diversity among sequenced individuals was low, a combined analysis of the two sequenced fragments revealed a western (central and northern Europe: Danube, Elbe and lakes of Sweden) and an eastern clade (eastern Europe: Dnieper-South Bug, Don, Neman). Furthermore, a number of divergent ancestral haplotypes distributed around the Black and Caspian Seas became apparent. Mismatch analyses supported a sudden expansion model for the populations of the western clade between 50 and 10 000 bp. Overall, the study provides strong evidence for a northward and westward expansion of V. vimba from two refugial regions located in the Danubian drainage and the northern Pontic regions respectively.