Population genetic analyses reveal distinct geographical blooms of the jellyfish Rhizostoma octopus (Scyphozoa)

摘要: Understanding the spatial integrity and connectivity of jellyfish blooms is important for ecologists coastal stakeholders alike. Previous studies have shown that distribution can display a marked consistency in space time, suggesting such patterns cannot be attributed to passive processes alone. In present study, we used combination microsatellite markers mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I sequences investigate genetic structuring scyphozoan Rhizostoma octopus Irish Celtic Seas. The data indicated far higher levels population differentiation than microsatellites: ΦST[MT] = 0.300 vs. ΦST[NUC] = 0.013. Simulation low nuclear were not result limited power because polymorphism. These findings, supported by palaeodistribution modelling mismatch analysis, are consistent with expansion R. octopus from single, refugium after Last Glacial Maximum, followed subsequent isolation, discrepancy between loci taking longer reach mutation–drift equilibrium following as their four-fold larger effective size. populations studied probably well connected via gene flow, thus genetically geographically distinct, although our findings also highlight need use organellar enable more complete understanding demography structure, particularly species large sizes.