TY - JOUR
T1 - Mismatch between molecular (mtDNA) and morphological classification of Macrobrachium prawns from Southern Nigeria
T2 - Cryptic freshwater species and brackish water morphotypes
AU - Jimoh, Abayomi A.
AU - Anetekhai, Martins A.
AU - Cummings, Steve
AU - Abanikanda, Olatunji T.F.
AU - Turner, George F.
AU - van Oosterhout, Cock
AU - Hänfling, Bernd
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was made possible with a Split-Site scholarship, awarded to Abayomi Jimoh, by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom. The authors acknowledge the technical support offered by members of the Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, University of Hull, United Kingdom. CvO was funded by the Earth and Life Systems Alliance (ELSA) . We are also grateful to Mr. M.A. Ajibade who helped with the collection of samples, as well as Dr. H.A. Fashina-Bombata and Mr. R.G. Ajepe.
PY - 2013/10/10
Y1 - 2013/10/10
N2 - With a wide distribution across brackish and freshwater habitats in West African coastal regions, the giant prawns, Macrobrachium vollenhovenii and Macrobrachium macrobrachion, are potential candidates for aquaculture in the region. Here, we present the first molecular investigation of the phylogeography and systematics of these prawns. Morphological analyses unambiguously classed individuals into two clusters corresponding with the recognized species. However, phylogenies based on 3 mitochondrial DNA regions (CO1, 16S rRNA,12S rRNA) consistently recovered two highly divergent clades. One clade comprised all individuals from two geographically distant upstream (freshwater) populations of M. vollenhovenii, the other all individuals from brackish water sites, comprised of both morphospecies. Within mtDNA clades, there was no apparent genetic differentiation between morphospecies or geographic location, which is most consistent with gene flow through human-mediated translocation. Our results indicate a cryptic Macrobrachium species which appears to be adapted to freshwater conditions and therefore highly suitable for freshwater aquaculture. Further investigations are required to determine whether the existence of two apparent morphospecies in brackish water results from intraspecific polymorphism, recent speciation or extensive hybridization.
AB - With a wide distribution across brackish and freshwater habitats in West African coastal regions, the giant prawns, Macrobrachium vollenhovenii and Macrobrachium macrobrachion, are potential candidates for aquaculture in the region. Here, we present the first molecular investigation of the phylogeography and systematics of these prawns. Morphological analyses unambiguously classed individuals into two clusters corresponding with the recognized species. However, phylogenies based on 3 mitochondrial DNA regions (CO1, 16S rRNA,12S rRNA) consistently recovered two highly divergent clades. One clade comprised all individuals from two geographically distant upstream (freshwater) populations of M. vollenhovenii, the other all individuals from brackish water sites, comprised of both morphospecies. Within mtDNA clades, there was no apparent genetic differentiation between morphospecies or geographic location, which is most consistent with gene flow through human-mediated translocation. Our results indicate a cryptic Macrobrachium species which appears to be adapted to freshwater conditions and therefore highly suitable for freshwater aquaculture. Further investigations are required to determine whether the existence of two apparent morphospecies in brackish water results from intraspecific polymorphism, recent speciation or extensive hybridization.
KW - Anthropogenic translocation
KW - Freshwater prawns
KW - Introgression, cryptic species
KW - Macrobrachium
KW - Mitochondrial DNA
KW - Nigeria
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U2 - 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2013.06.013
DO - 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2013.06.013
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84880183549
SN - 0044-8486
VL - 410-411
SP - 25
EP - 31
JO - Aquaculture
JF - Aquaculture
ER -