Population genetic structure of Siniperca chuatsi in the middle reach of the Yangtze River inferred from mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite loci

The Chinese mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi) is currently one of the most important economic freshwater fish in China, whereas the wild resource has declined dramatically in recent years. In this study, we examined the genetic structure and diversity of five populations from the middle reach of the Yangtze River using mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences and microsatellite markers. This research revealed high genetic diversity and low genetic differentiation of S. chuatsi from these regions. The pairwise Fst values of the two markers showed low and no-significant differentiation among populations. AMOVA analysis of two markers and the haplotype genealogy of the Cytb gene confirmed these results. The STRUCTURE analysis of the microsatellite marker implied that the dam upon the tributary of the Yangtze River blocked the gene flow among those regions. This research will be useful in breeding programs and conservation management of this species.