Abstract
Studying population genetic connectivity (i.e., identifying gene flow among populations and understanding their impacts on the genetic structure and diversity of populations) is first a matter of knowing what we work on, that is, accurately delimiting evolutionary units. Here, we focused on Pocillopora damicornis sensu stricto (or Pocillopora PSH04 sensu Gélin et al. in Mol Phylogenet Evol 109:430–446. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2017.01.018, 2017). From 458 colonies sampled within the tropical southwestern Pacific [Chesterfield Islands and New Caledonia (Grande Terre and Loyalty Islands)], Bayesian assignments and network analyses were conducted with 11-microsatellite loci to first evaluate the genetic partitioning of the colonies in distinct Secondary Species Hypotheses (SSHs), then in distinct clusters. Population genetic connectivity was then assessed for each cluster separately. Pocillopora PSH04 was partitioned into two highly differentiated SSHs (SSH04a and SSH04b), regularly found in sympatry. Furthermore, SSH04a was subdivided into two clusters (SSH04a-1 and SSH04a-2). This pattern of genetic structuring seems not related to clonality, but rather to the establishment of reproductive barriers. Nevertheless, considering each cluster separately, the populations appeared highly differentiated, suggesting relatively weak gene flow. This low connectivity among populations, coupled with the existence of cryptic species, brings new insights to the connectivity pattern of this understudied Pacific region.
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Acknowledgements
Coral sampling in New Caledonia (HM) was carried out during COBELO (http://dx.doi.org/10.17600/13100100), BIBELOT (http://dx.doi.org/10.17600/14003700), and CHEST (http://dx.doi.org/10.17600/15004500) oceanographic campaigns on board of RV Alis (IRD), and in the North-East and North-West of Madagascar during MAD (http://dx.doi.org/10.17600/16004700) oceanographic campaign on board of RV Antea (IRD). Sampling in Reunion Island (HM, PG) was supported by program CONPOCINPA (LabEx CORAIL fund); in the South of Madagascar (HM) in collaboration with the Institut Halieutique des Sciences Marines (Tulear); and in Rodrigues Island (HM) with the collaboration of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly and the South-East Marine Protected Area supported by project Biodiversity (POCT FEDER fund); in Europa, Juan de Nova, and Glorioso Islands (HM) by program BIORECIE (financial supports from INEE, INSU, IRD, AAMP, FRB, TAAF, and the foundation Veolia Environnement); in Tromelin Island (HM) by program ORCIE (INEE), and in Mayotte (HM) by program SIREME (FED). HM thanks all the buddies who helped in photographs during diving (J. Butscher, S. Andréfouët, L. Bigot, and M. Pinault). We acknowledge the Plateforme Gentyane of the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA, Clermont-Ferrand, France) for genotyping and technical support. PG and NO were respectively financially supported by PhD contracts from the LabEx CORAIL and the Doctoral School of Reunion Island University. We thank the reviewers for their comments to improve the manuscript.
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HM collected samples. NO, PG, and HM did lab steps and analysed the genotyping results. NO wrote the original draft and NO, PG, and HM reviewed and edited the manuscript.
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Oury, N., Gélin, P. & Magalon, H. Cryptic species and genetic connectivity among populations of the coral Pocillopora damicornis (Scleractinia) in the tropical southwestern Pacific. Mar Biol 167, 142 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-020-03757-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-020-03757-z