Crossing the Pacific: Genomics Reveals the Presence of Japanese Sardine (Sardinops melanosticta) in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Recent increases in frequency and intensity of warm water anomalies and marine heatwaves have led to shifts in species ranges and assemblages. Genomic tools can be instrumental in detecting such shifts. In the early stages of a project assessing population genetic structure in Pacific Sardine (Sardinops sagax), we detected the presence of Japanese Sardine (Sardinops melanosticta) along the west coast of North America for the first time. We assembled a high quality, chromosome-scale reference genome of the Pacific Sardine and generated low coverage, whole genome sequence (lcWGS) data for 345 sardine collected in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME) in 2021 and 2022. Fifty individuals sampled in 2022 were identified as Japanese Sardine based on strong differentiation observed in lcWGS SNP and full mitogenome data. Although we detected a single case of mitochondrial introgression, we did not observe evidence for recent hybridization events. These findings change our understanding of Sardinops spp. distribution and dispersal in the Pacific and highlight the importance of long-term monitoring programs.
Source: Molecular Ecology
DOI: 10.1111/mec.17561
Institutions: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, University of Central Florida, University of San Diego, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Alaska Fisheries Science Center, University of California, Santa Cruz
Language: English
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Life below water
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,150
OpenAlex ID: W4403692017