Genetic variation in the mangrove periwinkleLittorina angulifera

✍ Scribed by M. S. Gaines; J. Caldwell; A. M. Vivas

• Book ID: 104754272
• Publisher: Springer-Verlag
• Year: 1974
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 584 KB
• Volume: 27
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0025-3162
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00394368

✦ Synopsis

Twenty populations of Littorina anguliferaj inhabiting islands composed of the mangrove tree Rhizophora mangle, were assayed at an esterase locus to determine whether genetic differentiation was associated with distance between populations. It was predicted, on the basis of larval dispersal in this species, that genetic differentiation between populations on islands separated by long distances should be greater than those on islands located near each other. A chi-square test of homogeneity revealed significant differences in esterase gene frequencies among the 20 island populations. However, there was no association of distance between islands and genetic heterogeneity. In addition, a cline in gene frequency was found to be assiciated with latitude. Factors responsible for the observed pattern of heterogeneity at the esterase locus are discussed.