Unexpected Absence of Population Structure and High Genetic Diversity of the Western Atlantic Hermit Crab Clibanarius antillensis Stimpson, 1859 (Decapoda: Diogenidae) Based on Mitochondrial Markers and Morphological Data

Author(s)

Nishikawa, Keity S. ^[1] ; Negri, Mariana ^[1] ; Mantelatto, Fernando L. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Philosophy Sci & Letters Ribeirao Preto FFCLR, Dept Biol, Lab Bioecol & Crustacean Systemat LBSC, Av Bandeirantes 3900, BR-14040901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: DIVERSITY-BASEL; v. 13, n. 2 FEB 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

Recent studies on genetic variability have revealed different patterns of genetic structure among populations of marine decapod species with wide geographical distribution. The hermit crab Clibanarius antillensis has a broad distribution along the western Atlantic Ocean, from south Florida (United States) to Santa Catarina (Brazil). This factor, in addition to differences in larval morphology and in adult coloration, makes this species a good model for studies on intraspecific variations. Therefore, we evaluated the molecular and morphological variability of C. antillensis along its distribution in order to check the levels of population structure. The results were based on the morphological analyses of 187 individuals and 38 partial sequences of the mitochondrial gene 16S rRNA and 46 of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) from specimens whose locations covered the whole species distribution. The molecular analyses did not show any apparent population structure of C. antillensis. This result was corroborated by the morphological analyses since the characters analyzed did not show any pattern of variation. Our results may be explained by a set of factors, such as the dispersive potential of the species and the absence of barriers that could prevent gene flow. In addition, high genetic diversity was observed, mainly for COI, which may be explained by the historical processes of the species, which seem to be in almost constant expansion in the last 700,000 years and experienced no genetic bottleneck. Apparently, this species was little affected by the climate fluctuations of Pleistocene. Additionally, our morphological analyses allowed us to present herein a redescription of the studied species since we noted differences from the characters in the diagnosis. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/54931-0 - Improvement and management of biological specimen collections at the Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo
• Grantee: Carlos Alberto Garofalo
• Support Opportunities: Research Infrastructure Program - Biological specimen collections
• FAPESP's process: 16/22448-1 - Genetic and morphological variability of the hermit crab Clibanarius antillensis Stimpson, 1859 along its distribution
• Grantee: Keity Sayuri Nishikawa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• FAPESP's process: 18/13685-5 - Integrative analysis of the Brazilian fauna of decapod crustaceans: taxonomy, phylogenetic systematics, spermiotaxonomy, morphology of post-embryonic development, ecology and conservation
• Grantee: Fernando Luis Medina Mantelatto
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 10/50188-8 - Decapod crustaceans: multi-disciplinary characterization of the sea biodiversity of the State of São Paulo (taxonomy, spermiotaxonomy, molecular biology and population dynamics)
• Grantee: Fernando Luis Medina Mantelatto
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants