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Barriers to gene flow in common seadragons (Syngnathidae: Phyllopteryx taeniolatus)

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Abstract

The common seadragon is an iconic fish with presumed limited dispersal, because juveniles hatch directly from the tail of the male parent. Nothing is presently known of their phylogeographic structure, despite conservation concerns and a distribution spanning southern Australia. Here, we sequenced mitochondrial genes from 201 common seadragons in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales. We show that common seadragon populations are highly structured geographically, and that genetic variation varies significantly. The historical Bassian Isthmus appears to have left a strong imprint on population structure. Populations east of the Bassian Isthmus are low in diversity and appear more connected than those in the west, although this is likely caused by a recent expansion from a common source after the Last Glacial Maximum. All individuals from Eden, Bicheno and Hobart are represented by only two haplotypes. Populations west of the Bassian Isthmus are more diverse, with the highest diversity indices shown by Western Australian and Spencer Gulf populations. A large sampling gap across the Great Australian Bight is yet to be resolved; the west versus east break here may be an artifact of this gap. Almost all sampled populations can be inferred to have limited gene flow among them, which has implications for recovery after local extinction. Populations thought to be in decline (Sydney, Hobart) showed low genetic diversity, which may make them vulnerable to further reductions.

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Acknowledgments

We thank our funders National Geographic and the Lowe Family Foundation. Additional samples were collected in studies funded by Spencer Gulf and West Coast Prawn Fishermans Association (SGWCPFA), and carried out by SGWCPFA, South Australian Research and Development Institute Aquatic Sciences (SARDI), and Primary Industry and Regions SA Fisheries, made available by SA Museum. Tony Wilson gave helpful advice on primer selection. We also thank Mindi Summers, Anke Klueter, Michael Kong, Nick Yee, Steve Donnellan (SAM), Shirley Sorokin (SARDI), Ralph Foster (SAM), Craig Lebens (Bremer Bay Dive), Sue Morrison (WAM), Glenn Moore (WAM) and Leslee Matsushige (Birch Aquarium at Scripps) for assistance with accessing or collecting samples. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for improving the manuscript.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Western Australian Museum, Welshpool, WA, 6101, Australia

      Nerida G. Wilson

    2. University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

      Nerida G. Wilson

    3. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0202, USA

      Josefin Stiller & Greg W. Rouse

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    1. Nerida G. Wilson
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    Correspondence to Nerida G. Wilson.

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    Nerida G. Wilson and Josefin Stiller contributed equally.

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    Wilson, N.G., Stiller, J. & Rouse, G.W. Barriers to gene flow in common seadragons (Syngnathidae: Phyllopteryx taeniolatus). Conserv Genet 18, 53–66 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-016-0881-y

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