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High genetic connectivity and moderate diversity detected in the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) in Puerto Rico through reduced-representation DNA sequencing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2025

Omar Zayas-Cruz Open the ORCID record for Omar Zayas-Cruz [Opens in a new window] ,
Angel G. Rivera-Colón Open the ORCID record for Angel G. Rivera-Colón [Opens in a new window]  and
Nikolaos V. Schizas Open the ORCID record for Nikolaos V. Schizas [Opens in a new window]
Omar Zayas-Cruz*
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, PR 00681, Puerto Rico
Angel G. Rivera-Colón
Affiliation:
Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
Nikolaos V. Schizas
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, PR 00681, Puerto Rico
*
Corresponding author: Omar Zayas-Cruz; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Although octopuses are the third most fished marine invertebrate species in Puerto Rico, there is a lack of information about this fishery. Here, we present the first small-scale study assessing the genetic diversity and connectivity of Octopus vulgaris in Puerto Rico. To achieve this, we applied double-digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing, using the restriction enzymes EcoRI and SphI in 43 specimens captured from ten locations representing three geographic regions. We used F-statistics and Bayesian analysis to evaluate over 2000 polymorphic loci. We found high genetic connectivity (FST = 0.0008, FST = 0.005), high nucleotide diversity (π ≈ 0.1), and moderate genetic diversity (HO ≈ 0.255–0.361, HE ≈ 0.258–0.373) between the studied regions. In contrast to our expectations, given oceanographic characteristics and distance between the geographic regions, our results suggest a single admixed population of O. vulgaris in Puerto Rico, with no differentiation between the sampled regions. Even though genomics techniques are powerful for inferring population connectivity, researchers should be cognizant of protocol limitations to retain the most reliable information possible.

Keywords

ddRADseqgenetic connectivityOctopus vulgarisPuerto Ricoreduced representation sequencingsingle-nucleotide polymorphismWestern-Central Atlantic
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 105 , 2025 , e51
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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