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RBMO 56(2): 151-156 | 2021

https://doi.org/10.22370/rbmo.2021.56.2.3059

Genetic variation in the small bivalve Nuculana inaequisculpta along a retreating glacier fjord, King George Island, Antarctica

Carlos P. Muñoz-Ramírez1*, Maribel Beltrán-Concha2, Karla Pérez-Araneda2, Chester J. Sands4, David K. A. Barnes4, Alejandro Román-González5, Ander M. De Lecea6,7, Katherine Retallick8, Katrien Van Landeghem8, Katy Sheen5, Kelly Gonnelli2, James Scourse5, Miguel Bascur2 and Antonio Brante2,3

1Instituto de Entomología, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, Av. José Pedro Alessandri 774, Ñuñoa, Región Metropolitana, Chile
2Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Av. Alonso de Ribera 2850, Concepción, Chile
3Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ambientes Sustentables (CIBAS), Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Av. Alonso de Ribera 2850, Concepción, Chile
4British Antarctic Survey, NERC, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, United Kingdom
5College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Penryn Campus, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
6South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute, Stanley Cottage, North Ross Road, Stanley FIQQ 1ZZ, Falkland Islands
7Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Preller Street, Muckleneuk Ridge, Pretoria, South Africa
8School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Askew St, Menai Bridge LL59 5AB, United Kingdom

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Resumen

Climate change is strongly influencing regions of Antarctica but the consequences on microevolutionary processes have been little studied. Patterns of population genetic diversity were analysed in the Antarctic bivalve Nuculana inaequisculpta (Protobranchia: Nuculanidae) from a fjord with 70 years of documented climate-forced glacier retreat. Thirty-nine individuals from five sites at different distances from the glacier terminus were collected, and the COI gene was sequenced from each individual. No statistically significant genetic differentiation was found between sites nor a significant correlation between the proximity of glaciers and genetic diversity, suggesting a high dispersal capability and therefore, a planktonic larval stage for this species. Nevertheless, we encourage increasing the sample size and number of loci in future studies to confirm our findings.

Palabras clave

COI, climate change, dispersal capability, Western Antarctic Peninsula
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