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Lack of population structure in the fiddler crab Uca annulipes along an East African latitudinal gradient: genetic and morphometric evidence

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Abstract

Phylogeographic patterns in Uca annulipes sampled from 30 locations across an East African latitudinal gradient were investigated using mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I sequences and analysed together with patterns of morphometric differentiation. Four hundred and four specimens along the east African coast were sampled, and 18 haplotypes were encountered. Haplotype and nucleotide diversity values were very low and the phylogenetic analysis did not reveal any clear phylogeographic structure. Furthermore, the analysis of molecular variance and pairwise Φ ST values showed no significant spatial population differentiation. Mismatch analyses and tests of neutrality supported the hypothesis that this species has undergone a fairly recent demographic expansion. Our results, therefore, failed to demonstrate significant geographical structure in the pattern of genetic variation, indicating that populations of U. annulipes are capable of extensive gene flow among mangroves along the coast. The genetic structure of this species could be panmictic due to a high amount of gene flow along the geographical gradient in study during the planktonic larval phase, when larvae are carried along stream by the dominant currents. Moreover, the morphometric analysis performed did not reveal differences of shape differentiation according to a geographical pattern, although significant differences among the sampling areas were found.

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Acknowledgments

I.C.S. acknowledges a PhD grant by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), reference SFRH/BD/14325/2003, and N.M. acknowledges a postdoc grant by FCT, reference SFRH/BPD/14557/2003. This study is part of the research project TRANSMAP (INCO-CT2004-510862: “Transboundary networks of marine protected areas for integrated conservation and sustainable development: biophysical, socio-economic and governance assessment in East Africa”) funded by the European Commission, 6th Framework. We would also like to thank to the following people who assisted during field work: D. Abreu, A. Alfiado, F. Amade, D. Glassom, C. Hassane, C. Litulo, A. Macia, J. Mahenge, P. Muianga, E. Nhaca and G. Penha-Lopes. The authors also thank P. Cardoso for map elaboration.

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  1. Centro de Oceanografia, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências da, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Nossa Senhora do Cabo 939, 2750-374, Cascais, Portugal

    Inês C. Silva & José Paula

  2. Museu Nacional de História Natural, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua da Escola Politécnica 58, 1269-102, Lisbon, Portugal

    Natacha Mesquita

  3. Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal

    Natacha Mesquita

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  1. Inês C. Silva
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Correspondence to Inês C. Silva.

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Communicated by T. Reusch.

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Silva, I.C., Mesquita, N. & Paula, J. Lack of population structure in the fiddler crab Uca annulipes along an East African latitudinal gradient: genetic and morphometric evidence. Mar Biol 157, 1113–1126 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-010-1393-9

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