Genetic structure and differentiation of four lake populations of Coilia ectenes (Clupeiformes: Engraulidae) based on mtDNA control region sequences

► We investigated genetic structure and differentiation of four lake populations of C. ectenes. ► Eighty-one individuals were analyzed and seventy-five haplotypes were detected. ► Index of nucleotide diversity (π) of PY was highest (1.09%) whereas that of TH lowest (0.62%). ► AMOVA analysis showed that within populations is the main source of total variance. ► Four lake populations of C. ectenes have not developed significant genetic structure.