Inferring population connectivity across the range of distribution of the stiletto shrimp Artemesia longinaris Spence Bate, 1888 (Decapoda, Penaeidae) from DNA barcoding: implications for fishery management

Artemesialonginaris is a marine shrimp endemic to the southwestern Atlantic and distributed from Atafona, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) to Rawson, Chubut (Argentina). In recent years, this species has become an important target of the commercial fishery as a consequence of the decline in the fishery of more traditional and profitable marine shrimps. In addition, phenotypic variations have been documented in populations along its distribution. Therefore, investigations on the genetics of the fishing stocks are necessary for the development of sustainable management strategies and for understanding the possible sources of these variations. The mitochondrial gene Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) was used to search for evidence of genetic structure among the populations of Artemesialonginaris and to analyze the phylogenetic relationships among them. A total of 60 specimens were collected from seven different localities, covering its geographical range. The final alignment showed 53 haplotypes (48 individuals and 5 shared), with no biogeographical pattern. The low genetic divergence found, with a non-significant FST value, also suggests the absence of population structure for this gene. These findings indicate a continuous gene flow among the populations analyzed, suggesting that the phenotypic variation is a consequence of different environmental conditions among the localities.