Genetic and Morphological Differentiation of the Semiterrestrial Crab Armases angustipes (Brachyura: Sesarmidae) along the Brazilian Coast.
The genetic and morphometric population structures of the semiterrestrial crab Armases angustipes from along the Brazilian coast were examined. The influence of the Central South Equatorial Current on larval dispersal of A. angustipes also was evaluated. Six populations were sampled from estuarine areas in São Luis do Maranhão, Maranhão; Natal, Rio Grande do Norte; Maceió, Alagoas; Ilhéus, Bahia; Aracruz, Espírito Santo; and Guaratuba, Paraná. Patterns of genetic differentiation were assessed using DNA sequence data corresponding to parts of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1. Geometric morphometric techniques were used to evaluate morphological variation in shape and size of the carapace and right cheliped propodus. Our results revealed low genetic variability and lack of phylogeographic structure; geometric morphometrics showed statistically significant morphological differentiation and geographic structuring. Our data indicate the absence of possible barriers to gene flow for this mobile species, and no clear correlation of morphological or genetic variation with ocean currents and/or geographic distance. Our results also suggest that historical geological and climatological events and/or possible bottleneck effects influenced the current low genetic variability among the populations of A. angustipes.
['Marochi|Murilo Zanetti|MZ|', 'Masunari|Setuko|S|', 'Schubart|Christoph D|CD|']
D000818:Animals D003386:Brachyura D001938:Brazil D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV D051456:Gene Flow D014644:Genetic Variation D005828:Genetics, Population D058974:Phylogeography D011157:Population Dynamics D013045:Species Specificity D014872:Water Movements
AL, Maceió (city), Alagoas (state of Brazil) AMOVA, analysis of molecular variance BA, Ilhéus, Bahia (Brazil) CSEC, Central South Equatorial Current Cox1, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 ES, Aracruz, Espírito Santo (Brazil) GPA, generalized procrustes analysis MA, São Luiz do Maranhão, Maranhão (Brazil) MANOVA, multivariate analysis of variance NBC, North Brazil Current PCA, principal component analysis PR, Guaratuba, Paraná (Brazil) RN, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil) SBC, South Brazil Current UPGMA, unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean