Phylogeographic patterns in cryptic Bostrychia tenella species
(Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) across the Thai-Malay Peninsula |
Jakaphan Bulan1, Sinchai Maneekat1, Giuseppe C. Zuccarello2, Narongrit Muangmai1,* |
1Department of Fishery Biology, Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand 2School of Biological Science, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand |
*Corresponding Author |
Narongrit Muangmai, Tel: +66-2-942-8701, Fax: +66-2-942-8702, Email: ffisnrm@ku.ac.th
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Received: February 1, 2022; Accepted: June 4, 2022. Published online: June 21, 2022. |
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This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms
of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial
License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits
unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any
medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
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ABSTRACT |
Genetic diversity and distribution patterns of marine macroalgae are increasingly being documented in Southeast
Asia. These studies show that there can be significant levels of genetic diversity and isolation between populations on
either side of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Bostrychia tenellla is a common filamentous red seaweed in the region and the
entity is represented by at least two cryptic species. Despite being highly diverse and widespread, genetic variation and
population structure of this species complex remains understudied, especially around the Thai-Malay Peninsula. We
analyzed genetic diversity and inferred the phylogeographic pattern of specimens identified as B. tenella using the plastid
RuBisCo spacer from samples from the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. Our genetic analysis confirmed the occurrence
of the two cryptic B. tenella species (B and C) along both coasts. Cryptic species B was more common in the area
and displayed higher genetic diversity than species C. Historical demographic analyses indicated a stable population
for species B, but more recent population expansion for species C. Our analyses also revealed that both cryptic species
from the Andaman Sea possessed higher genetic diversity than those of the Gulf of Thailand. We also detected moderate
to high levels of gene flow and weak phylogeographic structure of cryptic species B between the two coasts. In contrast,
phylogeographic analysis showed genetic differences between populations of both cryptic species within the Andaman
Sea. Overall, these results suggest that cryptic B. tenella species around Thai-Malay Peninsula may have undergone different
demography histories, and their patterns of genetic diversity and phylogeography were likely caused by geological
history and regional sea surface current circulation in the area. |
Key words:
connectivity; cryptic diversity; dispersal; macroalgae; Sundaland |
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