Comparing the genetic diversity and population structure of sister marine snails having contrasting habitat specificity.

BACKGROUND

To grasp the processes of spatial genetic structuring in open and connectable marine environments is the principal study goal in molecular biological studies. Comparative seascape genetics using multiple species are a powerful approach to understand the physical geographic and oceanographic effects on genetic variation. Besides, species-specific ecological traits such as dispersal abilities and habitat specificity are important factors for spatial genetic structuring.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We focused on the sister marine snail species Tegula kusairo and T. xanthostigma around the Japanese mainland, which have contrasting habitat specificities for wave strength. Tegula kusairo only inhabits sheltered coastal environments, while T. xanthostigma is found mainly on wave-exposed rocky shores facing the open sea. We estimated their genetic diversity indices and levels of population differentiation based on mtDNA. We found that the genetic diversity of T. kusairo was lower than that of T. xanthostigma, while their level of population genetic differentiation was higher than that of T. xanthostigma. Namely, the species specific to weak wave environments had a higher level of population genetic differentiation than the species specific to strong wave action.

CONCLUSION

Ecological traits linked not only to dispersal abilities but also to habitat specificity can influence genetic variation in a pair of closely related sister species distributed in the same seascape.