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Vol. 52, 2013
Evolutionary history of Nile perch Lates sp. inferred from
mitochondrial DNA variation analyses
Matthew
Tenywa Mwanja1*, Vincent Muwanika2, Charles
Masembe3, Sylvester Nyakaana3
and Wilson Waiswa Mwanja4
1ARDC-Kajjansi,
PO Box 530, Kampala, Uganda
2Department of Environmental Management, Makerere
University, PO Box 7098, Kampala, Uganda
3Biological Sciences Department, Makerere University,
PO Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
4Department of Fisheries Resources, PO Box 4, Entebbe,
Uganda
Abstract
Background: Evolutionary histories
of aquatic species are often characterized by distinct patterns of
genetic variation, which in part reflect drainage evolution. In the
present study, the consequences of paleo-environmental changes on
patterns of genetic variation of the mitochondrial DNA control region
in Nile perch Lates sp.
sampled from seven water bodies across the African continent were
investigated.
Results: In a total sample of 124 individual
sequences, 37 distinct haplotypes were observed, and 78.4% of these
haplotypes were location specific. Haplotypes were found to cluster
into two major groups, one composed of individuals sampled from East
Africa and another from West Africa, with no haplotypes shared in
between.
Conclusions: These lineages may
have developed in geographical isolation during the Pleistocene and
have remained largely allopatric without gene flow (Nm = 0.0) since that time. There
was also evidence that both of these genetic lineages have undergone
recent population expansions. We interpret these results in light of
the recent evolution of Africa's modern drainage network.
Key words: Africa drainage system; Nile
perch; Evolution; mtDNA.
*Correspondence: E-mail: mmtenywa@hotmail.com
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