Microsatellite variation and genetic structuring in Mugil liza (Teleostei: Mugilidae) populations from Argentina and Brazil

The mullet Mugil liza is distributed along the Atlantic coast of South America, from Argentina to Venezuela, and it is heavily exploited in Brazil. We assessed patterns of distribution of neutral nuclear genetic variation in 250 samples from the Brazilian states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul (latitudinal range of 23–31°S) and from Buenos Aires Province in Argentina (36°S). Nine microsatellite loci revealed 131 total alleles, 3–23 alleles per locus, He: 0.69 and Ho: 0.67. Significant genetic differentiation was observed between Rio de Janeiro samples (23°S) and those from all other locations, as indicated by Fst, hierarchical analyses of genetic structure, Bayesian cluster analyses and assignment tests. The presence of two different demographic clusters better explains the allelic diversity observed in mullets from the southernmost portion of the Atlantic coast of Brazil and from Argentina. This may be taken into account when designing fisheries management plans involving Brazilian, Uruguayan and Argentinean M. liza populations. Fil: Mai, Ana C.G.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Miño, Carolina Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; Argentina Fil: Marins, Luis F.F.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Monteiro Neto, Cassiano. Universidade Federal Fluminense; Brasil Fil: Miranda, Laura. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil. Instituto de Pesca; Brasil Fil: Schwingel, Paulo R.. Universidade do Vale do Itajaí; Brasil Fil: Lemos, Valeria M.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: González Castro, Mariano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina Fil: Castello, Jorge P. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Vieira, Joao P.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil