Genetic diversity, relationships and demographic history of three geographic populations of Ammodytes personatus (Ammodytidae) from Korea inferred from mitochondrial DNA control region and 16S rRNA sequence data

The genetic diversity, relationships and demographic history of three geographic populations of Ammodytes personatus from Korea were investigated based on mitochondrial DNA control region (ca. 750 base pairs) and 16S rRNA (ca. 587 base pairs) sequence data. Average inter-populational divergences based on control region were 0.0579 (East:West), 0.0574 (East:South) and 0.009 (West:South). Common CR haplotypes were not found among the three populations, but common haplotype did occur between the West and South populations in the 16S rRNA, suggesting recent isolation of the latter. A phylogenetic tree based on control region and 16S rRNA showed that the East population (excluding 3 specimens) was separated from the West+South clade, indicating a genetic mosaic. However, genetic differentiation between the East and West+South populations was suggested by high pairwise fixation indices (F-ST= 0.6943-0.7343). Although the mismatch distribution shape of each population did not differ significantly from that of a rapidly expanded population, estimates of initial population size and mutational time-scales suggested that the East population comprised an historically larger and older population than those in the West and South.