Genetic diversity and divergence among clam Cyclina sinensis populations assessed using amplified fragment length polymorphism

The genetic diversity and population structure of Cyclina sinensis were assessed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). Three hundred and fifty-four AFLP loci were analyzed in 160 individuals collected from Lvshun, Lianyungang, Yueqing and Dongxing of coastal China. High levels of genetic diversity were detected, where the percentage of polymorphic loci and average expected heterozygosity ranged 88.4–98.9% and 0.304–0.365, respectively. Analysis of molecular variance showed that variation among populations (24.4%) was highly significant (P<0.001). Accordingly, the global fixation index (θ B) averaged over lici was high (0.205). The large genetic differences among populations indicate restricted gene flow, congruent with limited dispersal capability of C. sinensis. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) tree topology constructed on the basis of Nei’s genetic distances between populations showed a clear separation of the northern two populations from the southern two populations, suggesting that gene flow between the northern and southern regions is extremely low. This finding is additionally supported by the separate clustering of the four populations in the results of principal coordinate analysis. The useful information obtained in this study will offer insights to fine-tune conservation and fishery management measures in the future.