Genetic structure of the Peruvian scallop Argopecten purpuratus inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA variation

The population genetic structure of the Peruvian scallop Argopecten purpuratus from three different wild populations along the Peruvian coast was analyzed using nine microsatellite loci and a partial region (530 bp) of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. A total of 19 polymorphic sites in the 16S rRNA gene defined 18 unique haplotypes. High genetic diversity was presented in all populations. Statistical analysis of mitochondrial DNA revealed no significant genetic structure (ΦST = 0.00511, P = 0.32149) among the three localities. However, microsatellite analysis showed low (2.86%) but highly significant (P = 0.0001) genetic differentiation among populations, most of the variation was found in Independencia Bay population, which is located in the Peruvian National Reserve of Paracas. Neutrality tests based on mitochondrial haplotypes were performed to assess signatures of recent historical demographic events. Overall results from Tajima's D and Fu's FS tests indicated significant deviations from neutrality. To our knowledge, this study constitutes the first investigation based on mitochondrial and microsatellite markers on the genetic structure of A. purpuratus.