MEPS prepress abstract   -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14701

ABSTRACT: Understanding the genetic population structure and demographic history of a fishery resource species is important for resource management that considers the viability and evolutionary potential of the species. The sailfin sandfish Arctoscopus japonicus is an important resource in Japan. Its population structure has been investigated in some previous studies, but a mismatch between morphometric and population genetic analysis was observed. We investigated whether this mismatch could be attributed to the detection sensitivity of DNA markers by analyzing nuclear microsatellite loci. We also investigated the development of the observed population structure through demographic analysis based on mitochondrial DNA. Our analysis revealed the presence of subtle genetic differences between local populations that had not been previously detected, which were consistent with the findings of the previous morphometric study. Demographic analysis suggests that the most diverged populations of the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Japan differentiated as a result of vicariance during the last glacial period.　We also found that the Sea of Okhotsk population may have originated from admixture between Pacific Ocean and Sea of Japan individuals. These results provide new insights into the population structure of the species, which is essential for resource management.