Population genetic structure and genetic diversity of Acetes chinensis in the East China Sea

Abstract

The northern mauxia shrimp (Acetes chinensis) is a widely distributed species, and is the main food for many fish of economic importance and other marine organisms. Unfortunately, research on the genetic diversity and differentiation of the A. chinensis population is lacking. We investigated the population genetic structure and genetic diversity of A. chinensis in the East China Sea using the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene. Low overall haplotype diversity, but moderate overall nucleotide diversity, was found compared with other shrimp species. The results also demonstrated that there were two different groups in this region. The patterns of population demography suggest that both Lineages I and II experienced sudden expansions. The findings of this study provide basic information for the protection and management of A. chinensis in the East China Sea.