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Characterising invasion processes with genetic data: an Atlantic clade of Clavelina lepadiformis (Ascidiacea) introduced into Mediterranean harbours

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Abstract

We studied the genetic structure of populations of the Atlanto-Mediterranean ascidian Clavelina lepadiformis (Müller, 1776). A 369 bp segment of the COI mitochondrial gene was sequenced in Mediterranean and Atlantic populations from inside harbours, marinas and fjords (interior populations), and from the open rocky littoral (exterior populations). Previous work identified genetic differences between C. lepadiformis inhabiting Mediterranean harbours and the Mediterranean rocky littoral, however, the origin of these two clades remained speculative. Here we compared the Mediterranean populations with four Atlantic populations (two interior and two exterior). Gene differentiation and maximum likelihood analyses showed that the Atlantic forms were not divided into interior and exterior clades, and were closely related to the interior clade in the Mediterranean. The results support the hypothesis that both clades evolved allopatrically in the two seas, and that a recent colonisation of Mediterranean marinas from the Atlantic was caused by ship-hull transport. Colonisation of habitats by new genetic variants, morphologically indistinguishable from local populations, may be common among benthic invertebrates, and only genetic tools can uncover these cryptic invasions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 645, Diagonal Ave

    Xavier Turon, Isabel Tarjuelo & Sandra Duran

  2. Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 645, Diagonal Ave, Spain

    Marta Pascual

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  1. Xavier Turon
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  2. Isabel Tarjuelo
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  3. Sandra Duran
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  4. Marta Pascual
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Turon, X., Tarjuelo, I., Duran, S. et al. Characterising invasion processes with genetic data: an Atlantic clade of Clavelina lepadiformis (Ascidiacea) introduced into Mediterranean harbours. Hydrobiologia 503, 29–35 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:HYDR.0000008481.10705.c2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:HYDR.0000008481.10705.c2

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