Ladhar, C., F. Denis, W. Guermazi, N. Annabi-Trabelsi, N. Casse, H. Ayadi & G.N. Hotos. (2024). Phylogeny and Genetic Population Structure of Dominant Copepods in Two Ponds with Contrasting Salinities in the Solar Saltern of Sfax (Tunisia) Based on Mitochondrial (COI and Cytb) and Nuclear (18S) DNA Sequences. Diversity-Basel. 16(12):1-15. Dec 2024.

501670

10.3390/d16120751 [view]

Ladhar, C., F. Denis, W. Guermazi, N. Annabi-Trabelsi, N. Casse, H. Ayadi & G.N. Hotos

2024

16(12):1-15. Dec 2024

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Due to the complexity of taxonomic classification based on the classical morphological characters of copepods, phylogenies have been ambiguous. In this study, we investigate the phylogeny of copepods, including four species from three orders, in the saltern of Sfax using the small subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (18S). In the studied area, copepods seemed to be a polyphyletic group, and the genetic structure of these crustaceans is complex and problematic. We have also used two mitochondrial markers, the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) gene and the cytochrome b (Cytb) sequence data, in order to investigate the genetic diversity and differentiation in a total of 96 individuals from two sets of Paracartia grani, sampled from two ponds with different salinities (42 PSU and 61 PSU). All of the results presented here suggest a low genetic diversity among P. grani species and a weak genetic structure between the sets. The nucleotide and haplotype diversity of P. grani were extremely low, indicating the homogeneity of the two sets, which could be combined into one set living in different ranges of salinity. This small genetic diversity is possibly due to the confined natural distribution range and strong selective pressure in a saltern environment. These data also suggest that gene flow is the main factor shaping the genetic structure of the studied sets.

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