Genetic variation of the land-locked freshwater shrimp Caridina pseudodenticulata (Decapoda: Atyidae: Caridina) in Taiwan

Abstract

Caridina pseudodenticulata is a land-locked freshwater shrimp, which is endemic to North and West Taiwan. It is listed as Vulnerable under criteria A1ce in the IUCN Red List. Our study used mitochondrial DNA fragment sequences of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to examine its genetic structure. In total, 204 sequences were analyzed from 22 populations, and all 39 haplotypes were identified. Our study (1) found that the genetic diversity within population of this species was similar to that of other land-locked freshwater prawn in Taiwan; (2) displayed that during glaciation, the Taiwan Strait was largely above water, an event which created opportunities for colonization Taiwan and dispersal widely; (3) showed that although the phylogenetic analysis showed the lack of a population genetic structure, the AMOVA and haplotypes distribution pattern revealed geographically divided; (4) indicated that C. pseudodenticulata could across to neighbor rivers through the mouths of rivers, which confluent with each other during floods.

Keywords:

• Caridina pseudodenticulata
• COI
• floods
• phylogeography

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium and the Taiwan's Forestry Bureau. We also thank the anonymous referees for their helpful comments.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no competing interests in the preparation and execution of this manuscript. The authors are solely responsible for its content.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium and the Taiwan's Forestry Bureau.