Panmixia in a Fragmented and Unstable Environment: The Hydrothermal Shrimp Rimicaris exoculata Disperses Extensively along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Type Article
Date 2012-06
Language English
Author(s) Teixeira Sara1, 2, Serrao Ester A.2, Arnaud SophieORCID1
Affiliation(s) 1 : IFREMER, Ctr Brest, DEEP, Brest, France.
2 : Univ Algarve, CIMAR, Ctr Marine Sci, Faro, Portugal.
Source Plos One (1932-6203) (Public Library Science), 2012-06 , Vol. 7 , N. 6 , P. -
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0038521
WOS© Times Cited 48
Abstract Dispersal plays a fundamental role in the evolution and persistence of species, and especially for species inhabiting extreme, ephemeral and highly fragmented habitats as hydrothermal vents. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge endemic shrimp species Rimicaris exoculata was studied using microsatellite markers to infer connectivity along the 7100-Km range encompassing the sampled sites. Astonishingly, no genetic differentiation was found between individuals from the different geographic origins, supporting a scenario of widespread large-scale dispersal despite the habitat distance and fragmentation. We hypothesize that delayed metamorphosis associated to temperature differences or even active directed migration dependent on physical and/or chemical stimuli could explain these results and warrant further studies on adaptation and dispersal mechanisms.
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