Phylogeography of Two Lusitanian Sea Stars
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Phylogeography of Two Lusitanian Sea Stars David John Darrock A thesis submitted to Cardiff University for the higher degree of Doctor of Philosophy September 2010 Cardiff School of Biosciences Cardiff University UMI Number: U585488 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U585488 Published by ProQuest LLC 2013. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 DECLARATION This work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree. Signed .....................(candidate) Date ...O k/okt./.II STATEMENT 1 This thesis is being submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of PhD. Signed . ................................................. .....(candidate) Date ...0 £ /p f*A l ............... STATEMENT 2 This thesis is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by explicit references. Signed ........................ (candidate) Date ..P.4./o Sh/J\............... STATEMENT 3 I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed .....................(candidate) Date ...Q f/?.V //!........... STATEMENT 4: PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BAR ON ACCESS I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter-library loans after expiry of a bar on access previously approved by the Graduate Development Committee. Signed (candidate) Date Dedicated to Lorna and Rhys SUMMARY The first comprehensive genetic study of North East Atlantic and Mediterranean sea stars, Asterina gibbosa and Asterina phylactica, is presented here, based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) data. MtDNA analysis revealed that the two putative species are distinct however there is incomplete lineage sorting, with the two most common haplotypes being shared across both species. MtDNA revealed low divergence between populations especially among most Atlantic populations, with no significant differentiation between the two basins. Although, both species possessed private haplotypes within both basins, the most common haplotype within both species is found throughout the entire geographical range of both species. Two mitchondrial haplogroups were identified, both of which showed evidence for a population expansion, occurring during the Pleistocene epoch. Haplogroup 1 was dominated by A. gibbosa (88%) whereas haplogroup 2 was dominated by A. phylactica (84%). The mtDNA results tentatively suggest that one Asterina population may descend from a population that survived the last glacial maximum (LGM) in one or more northern refugium. The AFLP data showed that A. gibbosa and A. phylactica are genetically distinct, with no apparent hybridization between species, with the possible exception of a single individual found at Rovinj, Croatia which was identified as being an A. phylactica individual at the time of sampling, but the allocation test assigned it to the Naples, Italy, A. gibbosa population. This could be the result of introgression or the individual could have been incorrectly classified as A. phylactica at the time of sampling. The AFLP data showed that there is gene flow occurring but it appears to be restricted, particularly within the Mediterranean basin, with no apparent gene flow occurring between the Atlantic and Mediterranean basins. There was no evidence with either marker to conclude that the brooding behaviour of A. phylactica provides a different pattern of genetic diversity within populations or differentiation between populations to the crawl away behaviour of A. gibbosa. The analysis suggests that gene flow is slightly more restricted for A. phylactica than A. gibbosa and, for A. gibbosa, it is more restricted in the Mediterranean than the Atlantic. The study identifies both A. phylactica and A. gibbosa populations that would be suitable to receive conservation status, based upon their unique genetic characteristics. Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................................................................................8 1.1. General Introduction ................................................................................................... 9 1.2. The Family Asterinidae ............................................................................................... 9 1.3. The Study Species: Asterina gibbosa and Asterina phylactica........................... 12 1.3.1. Morphology............................................................................................................. 12 1.3.2. Ecology....................................................................................................................15 1.3.3. Distribution............................................................................................................. 17 1.3.4. Dispersal ..................................................................................................................19 1.4. The Study Location: the North East Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea20 1.4.1. The Mediterranean Sea ........................................................................................ 20 1.4.2. The Northeast Atlantic Ocean ...............................................................................23 1.5. Genetic studies .......................................................................................................... 25 1.5.1. Choice of molecular marker ................................................................................. 25 1.5.2. Mitochondrial Genetics ..................................................................................... 26 1.5.3 Asteroidea mtDNA ............................................................................................. 30 1.5.4 Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms ...................................................... 31 1.6. Phylogeography.......................................................................................................... 33 1.7. An Overview of Recent Sea Star Genetic Studies ................................................... 34 1.8. Hypothesis and aims ...................................................................................................37 1.9. References ................................................................................................................... 38 A phylogeographic study of the sea star Asterina gibbosa using Mitochondrial DNA ........................................................................................................................................58 2.1 Abstract ....................................................................................................................... 59 2.2 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 59 2.3 Methods ....................................................................................................................... 63 2.3.1 Sampling..................................................................................................................63 2.3.2 DNA extraction ....................................................................................................... 65 2.3.3 mtDNA amplification and sequencing ................................................................. 65 2.3.4 Authentic sequence verification .......................................................................... 66 2.3.5 Analysis of Genetic diversity and differentiation ...............................................66 2.3.6 Analysis of Population Demography................................................................... 68 2.4 Results ......................................................................................................................... 70 2.4.1 Sequences and Haplotype Analysis .................................................................... 70 5 2.4.2 Genetic Diversity and Population Structure...................................................... 75 2.4.3 Haplogroup Analysis.............................................................................................78 2.4.4 Population Demography...................................................................................... 80 2.5 Discussion ................................................................................................................... 81 2.6 References ................................................................................................................... 85 Population genetics of an enigmatic sea star Asterina phylactica.......................96 3.1 Abstract ....................................................................................................................... 97 3.2 Introduction ................................................................................................................