Population Genomics of the Blue Shark, <i>Prionace glauca</i>, Reveals Different Populations in the Mediterranean Sea and the Northeast Atlantic

Populations of marine top predators have been sharply declining during the past decades, and one-third of chondrichthyans are currently threatened with extinction. Sustainable management measures and conservation plans of large pelagic sharks require knowledge on population genetic differentiation and demographic connectivity. Here, we present the case of the Mediterranean blue shark (<i>Prionace glauca</i>, L. 1758), commonly found as bycatch in longline fisheries and classified by the IUCN as critically endangered. The management of this species suffers from a scarcity of data about population structure and connectivity within the Mediterranean Sea and between this basin and the adjacent Northeast Atlantic. Here, we assessed the genetic diversity and spatial structure of blue shark from different areas of the Mediterranean Sea and the Northeast Atlantic through genome scan analyses. Pairwise genetic differentiation estimates (<i>F</i> <sub>ST</sub>) on 203 specimens genotyped at 14,713 ddRAD-derived SNPs revealed subtle, yet significant, genetic differences within the Mediterranean sampling locations, and between the Mediterranean Sea and the Northeast Atlantic Ocean. Genetic differentiation suggests some degree of demographic independence between the Western and Eastern Mediterranean blue shark populations. Furthermore, results show limited genetic connectivity between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic basins, supporting the hypothesis of two distinct populations of blue shark separated by the Strait of Gibraltar. Although reproductive interactions may be limited, the faint genetic signal of differentiation suggests a recent common history between these units. Therefore, Mediterranean blue sharks may function akin to a metapopulation relying upon local demographic processes and connectivity dynamics, whereby the limited contemporary gene flow replenishment from the Atlantic may interplay with currently poorly regulated commercial catches and large-scale ecosystem changes. Altogether, these results emphasise the need for revising management delineations applied to these critically endangered sharks.

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Publication Details

Journal
Evolutionary Applications
Published
2024-09-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.70005
Citations
11
Primary Topic
Ichthyology and Marine Biology
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
7.60

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article

Population Genomics of the Blue Shark, Prionace glauca, Reveals Different Populations in the Mediterranean Sea and the Northeast Atlantic

Jann Martinsohn, Antonella Zanzi, Natacha Nikolic, Alessia Cariani et al.
11 citations
Evolutionary Applications
Ichthyology and Marine Biology
7.60
article

Population Genomics of the Blue Shark, Prionace glauca, Reveals Different Populations in the Mediterranean Sea and the Northeast Atlantic

Jann Martinsohn, Antonella Zanzi, Natacha Nikolic, Alessia Cariani, Agostino Leone, Primo Micarelli, Ilaria Coscia, Fulvio Garibaldi, Sophie Arnaud‐Haond, Persefoni Megalofonou, Rafaella Franch, David Macías, Luca Bargelloni, Massimiliano Babbucci, Paulo A. Prodöhl, Chrystelle Delord, Emilio Sperone, Fausto Tinti, Marco Stagioni, Stefano Mariani, Dimitrios Damalas
article en
11 citations

Abstract

Populations of marine top predators have been sharply declining during the past decades, and one-third of chondrichthyans are currently threatened with extinction. Sustainable management measures and conservation plans of large pelagic sharks require knowledge on population genetic differentiation and demographic connectivity. Here, we present the case of the Mediterranean blue shark (<i>Prionace glauca</i>, L. 1758), commonly found as bycatch in longline fisheries and classified by the IUCN as critically endangered. The management of this species suffers from a scarcity of data about population structure and connectivity within the Mediterranean Sea and between this basin and the adjacent Northeast Atlantic. Here, we assessed the genetic diversity and spatial structure of blue shark from different areas of the Mediterranean Sea and the Northeast Atlantic through genome scan analyses. Pairwise genetic differentiation estimates (<i>F</i> <sub>ST</sub>) on 203 specimens genotyped at 14,713 ddRAD-derived SNPs revealed subtle, yet significant, genetic differences within the Mediterranean sampling locations, and between the Mediterranean Sea and the Northeast Atlantic Ocean. Genetic differentiation suggests some degree of demographic independence between the Western and Eastern Mediterranean blue shark populations. Furthermore, results show limited genetic connectivity between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic basins, supporting the hypothesis of two distinct populations of blue shark separated by the Strait of Gibraltar. Although reproductive interactions may be limited, the faint genetic signal of differentiation suggests a recent common history between these units. Therefore, Mediterranean blue sharks may function akin to a metapopulation relying upon local demographic processes and connectivity dynamics, whereby the limited contemporary gene flow replenishment from the Atlantic may interplay with currently poorly regulated commercial catches and large-scale ecosystem changes. Altogether, these results emphasise the need for revising management delineations applied to these critically endangered sharks.

Evolutionary ApplicationsVol. 17(9)
Queen's University Belfast (GB), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Padua (IT), Ifremer (FR), National Technical University of Athens (GR), Université de Montpellier (FR), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR), Ecosystèmes, Biodiversité, Evolution (FR), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR), Instituto Español de Oceanografía (ES), Nutrition Metabolism Aquaculture (FR), Joint Research Centre (IT), Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (GR), Marine Biodiversity Exploitation and Conservation (FR), Marine Institute (IE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR), Ecologie Comportementale et Biologie des Populations de Poissons (FR), Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, University of Calabria (IT), Liverpool John Moores University (GB), University of Genoa (IT), University of Palermo (IT), University of Bologna (IT), Politecnico di Milano (IT)
European Commission, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Joint Research Centre
Life in Land
Openalex Percentile: Top 2%
Ichthyology and Marine Biology
7.60
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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