Population genetics of Pampus echinogaster along the Pacific coastline of China: insights from the mitochondrial DNA control region and microsatellite molecular markers

Genetic variation among seven populations of Pampus echinogaster collected from the coastal waters of China was investigated based on the mitochondrial DNA control region and microsatellite molecular markers. The results revealed a high level of genetic diversity that may be related primarily to the life history traits and diverse habitats of this species. Analysis of the genetic structure and migration of P. echinogaster revealed weak genetic differentiation among populations, with an absence of a phylogeographic structure, indicating relatively high genetic homogeneity that may be associated with a recent population expansion event. The complex migratory and high dispersal ability of ichthyoplankton, as well as China's offshore circulation, may have played important roles in shaping the current genetic structure of P. echinogaster. Unlike stock division in conventional fisheries, the present study found no significant differences among the P. echinogaster populations, all of which were panmictic. Therefore, in addition to accounting for conventional fishery stocks, a comprehensive assessment should be conducted by considering the phylogenetic structure among different populations.