A peek into the population genetics of white teatfish (Holothuria fuscogilva) of Kenya’s south coast

The white teatfish, Holothuria fuscogilva, is widely distributed in coastal areas, including waters around coral reefs and seagrasses in the Indo-Pacific. In Kenya, the species is distributed in shallow reefs with higher landings reported from the Vanga-Shimoni-Gazi seascape on the Kenyan south coast. Despite its high exploitation for export and its vulnerable and endangered statuses under IUCN and CITES respectively, Kenya’s H. fuscogilva populations and how they may have been impacted by the fishing pressure have not been studied.

We estimated the genetic diversity and structure of H. fuscogilva population conveniently sampled from three sites in Kenyan south coast using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences. We recorded 30 haplotypes with 43 polymorphic sites across the population. Furthermore, we estimated an overall high haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity of estimates of h = 0.970 ± 0.013 and π = 0.010 ± 0.001 respectively.

These preliminary findings suggest several population outcomes, among them a fit population, which require confirming with more comprehensive study to inform strategies for the sustainable exploitation and management of the species.