Mitochondrial DNA variation and cryptic speciation within the free-living marine nematode Pellioditis marina

An inverse correlation between dispersal ability and genetic differentiation among populations of a species is frequently observed in the marine environment. We investigated the population genetic structure of the free-living marine nematode Pellioditis marina . A total of 426 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene were surveyed on a geographical scale of approximately 100 km during spring 2003. Nematodes were collected from 2 coastal locations in Belgium, and from 2 estuaries and a saltwater lake (Lake Grevelingen) in The Netherlands. Molecular variation was assessed... Mehr ...