The influence of Pleistocene climatic changes and ocean currents on the phylogeography of the southern African barnacle, Tetraclita serrata (Thoracica; Cirripedia)

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 9; no. 7; p. e102115
• Main Authors: Reynolds, Terry V, Matthee, Conrad A, von der Heyden, Sophie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 23-07-2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Agulhas Current; Analysis; Animal behavior; Animals; Bayes Theorem; Bayesian analysis; Benguela Current; Biogeography; Biology and Life Sciences; Cell Nucleus - genetics; Cirripedia; Climate Change; Climate change influences; Coastal ecosystems; Coasts; Contact pressure; Current distribution; Cytochrome; Cytochrome oxidase; Demography; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA, Mitochondrial - chemistry; DNA, Mitochondrial - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer - genetics; Dominant species; Earth Sciences; Electron Transport Complex IV - genetics; Environmental conditions; Evolution; Evolution, Molecular; Gene flow; Gene sequencing; Genetic analysis; Genetic diversity; Genetic structure; Genetic Variation; Genomics; Geography; Glacial effects; Glacial periods; Glaciers; Haplotypes; Last Glacial Maximum; Mitochondrial DNA; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutation; Ocean circulation; Ocean circulation patterns; Ocean currents; Oceans and Seas; Phylogeny; Phylogeography; Pleistocene; Polymorphism, Genetic; Population; Population genetics; Sea level; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Shores; South Africa; Southern Hemisphere; Spacer; Sympatric populations; Tetraclita; Thoracica - classification; Thoracica - genetics; Volcanoes; Water Movements; Zoology; South Africa; Namibia; Africa
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102115

The evolutionary effects of glacial periods are poorly understood for Southern Hemisphere marine intertidal species, particularly obligatory sessile organisms. We examined this by assessing the phylogeographic patterns of the southern African volcano barnacle, Tetraclita serrata, a dominant species on rocky intertidal shores. Restricted gene flow in some geographical areas was hypothesized based on oceanic circulation patterns and known biogeographic regions. Barnacle population genetic structure was investigated using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) region for 410 individuals sampled from 20 localities spanning the South African coast. The mtDNA data were augmented by generating nuclear internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) sequences from a subset of samples. Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA data reveal two distinct clades with mostly sympatric distributions, whereas nuclear analyses reveal only a single lineage. Shallow, but significant structure (0.0041-0.0065, P<0.01) was detected for the mtDNA data set, with the south-west African region identified as harbouring the highest levels of genetic diversity. Gene flow analyses on the mtDNA data show that individuals sampled in south-western localities experience gene flow primarily in the direction of the Benguela Current, while south and eastern localities experience bi-directional gene flow, suggesting an influence of both the inshore currents and the offshore Agulhas Current in the larval distribution of T. serrata. The mtDNA haplotype network, Bayesian Skyline Plots, mismatch distributions and time since expansion indicate that T. serrata population numbers were not severely affected by the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), unlike other southern African marine species. The processes resulting in the two morphologically cryptic mtDNA lineages may be the result of a recent historical allopatric event followed by secondary contact or could reflect selective pressures due to differing environmental conditions.