Population Genetic Diversity of Two Marine Gobies (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from the North-Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea

Gobies (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) are the most species-rich family of fishes in general, and the most abundant fish group in the European seas. Nonetheless, our knowledge on many aspects of their biology, including the population genetic diversity, is poor. Although barriers to gene flow are less apparent in the marine environment, the ocean is not a continuous habitat, as has been shown by studies on population genetics of various marine biota. For the first time, European marine goby species which cannot be collected by common fishery techniques were studied. The population genetic structure of two epibenthic species, Gobius geniporus and Gobius cruentatus, from seven localities across their distribution ranges was assessed, using one mitochondrial (cytochrome b) and one nuclear gene (first intron of ribosomal protein gene S7). Our results showed that there is a great diversity of haplotypes of mitochondrial gene cytochrome b in both species at all localities. Global fixation indices (FST) indicated a great differentiation of populations in both studied gobies. Our results did not show a geographic subdivision to individual populations. Instead, the data correspond with the model of migration which allow divergence and recurrent migration from the ancestral population. The estimated migration routes coincide with the main currents in the studied area. This matches well the biology of the studied species, with adults exhibiting only short-distance movements and planktonic larval stages.