Panmixia in a fragmented and unstable environment: the hydrothermal shrimp Rimicaris exoculata disperses extensively along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Dispersal plays a fundamental role in the evolution and persistence of species, and especially for species inhabiting extreme, ephemeral and highly fragmented habitats as hydrothermal vents. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge endemic shrimp species Rimicaris exoculata was studied using microsatellite markers to infer connectivity along the 7100-Km range encompassing the sampled sites. Astonishingly, no genetic differentiation was found between individuals from the different geographic origins, supporting a scenario of widespread large-scale dispersal despite the habitat distance and fragmentation. We hypothesize that delayed metamorphosis associated to temperature differences or even active directed migration dependent on physical and/or chemical stimuli could explain these results and warrant further studies on adaptation and dispersal mechanisms.
Ifremer - Centre de Brest, Departement Etude des Ecosystèmes Profonds - DEEP, Brest, France. steixeira@ualg.pt
Sara
S
Teixeira
Ester A
EA
Serrão
Sophie
S
Arnaud-Haond
D000818:Animals; D033364:Decapoda / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D017753:Ecosystem; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D013696:Temperature