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Sperm polymorphism and genetic divergence in the mussel Perumytilus purpuratus

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Abstract

For the first time in a marine bivalve species, geographic intraspecific variation in sperm morphology in the Chilean mussel, Perumytilus purpuratus, is reported. Samples were obtained in December 2010 from the rocky intertidal at three locations: Antofagasta (23º44′01.08′′S, 70º26′26.11′′W), Valparaíso (32º57′23.07′′S, 71º33′01.86′′W), and Valdivia (39°50′44.26′′S, 73°25′51.99′′W). Scanning electron microscopy was used to describe sperm traits, and genetic data were obtained by sequencing a 16S mtDNA 427-bp fragment. The results showed geographic intraspecific variation with two statistically significant patterns of genetically differentiated sperm morphologies. One genetic clade was found for Antofagasta and Valparaíso, displaying a unique sperm morphotype with a short acrosome accounting for 26 % of the head length, and the other from Valdivia, with a larger acrosome occupying 47 % of the head length. These results will lead to new research to distinguish among alternative hypotheses: the presence of cryptic species, incipient speciation, or a polymorphism in sperm traits of P. purpuratus.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support was provided by the Fondo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología FONDECYT (Project 1101007 to RG), Comisión Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología CONICYT (Beca de apoyo para la realización de tesis doctoral 2008 awarded to CB), and the Programa de Mejoramiento de la Calidad y la Equidad de la Educación Superior MECESUP de la República de Chile (Project ANT0711, Universidad de Antofagasta). Special thanks go to Cristian Briones for schematic drawing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas, Facultad de Recursos del Mar, Universidad de Antofagasta, Angamos 601, Antofagasta, Chile

    Carolina Briones & Ricardo Guiñez

  2. Programa Doctorado en Ciencias Aplicadas mención Sistemas Marinos Costeros, Universidad de Antofagasta, Angamos 601, Antofagasta, Chile

    Carolina Briones

  3. Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile

    Orlando Garrido, Pablo A. Oyarzún & Jorge E. Toro

  4. Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Cabo Estay-Canido, 50, 36390, Vigo, Spain

    Montse Pérez

Authors
  1. Carolina Briones
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  2. Ricardo Guiñez
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  3. Orlando Garrido
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  4. Pablo A. Oyarzún
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  5. Jorge E. Toro
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  6. Montse Pérez
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Correspondence to Carolina Briones.

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Communicated by J. P. Grassle.

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Briones, C., Guiñez, R., Garrido, O. et al. Sperm polymorphism and genetic divergence in the mussel Perumytilus purpuratus . Mar Biol 159, 1865–1870 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-012-1952-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-012-1952-3

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