Mitochondrial control region sequences show high genetic connectivity in the brownstripe snapper, Lutjanus vitta (Quoy and Gaimard, 1824) from the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia

The Brownstripe Snapper, Lutjanus vitta (Quoy and Gaimard, 1824) is a commercially important snapper extensively caught in Malaysia. We examined genetic diversity, population connectivity, and historical demographics of the L. vitta, off the eastern coast of peninsular Malaysia based on an 817 bp region of the mtDNA control region sequences. Maximum likelihood gene trees demonstrated that the populations under study had limited structuring and formed a single panmictic population that lacks support for internal clades. AMOVA and population pairwise Ф_ST values indicated high genetic exchange between the study areas. A high level of haplotype diversity (0.956–1.000) with low nucleotide diversity (0.008–0.014) indicates a recent expansion of L. vitta populations. However, both neutrality and goodness of fit tests revealed nonsignificant values. These data reflect a recent demographic expansion, which the Bayesian skyline plot estimates population expansion at 44 Kya. The absence of genetic differentiation can be attributed to spawning patterns, dispersal of egg and planktonic larvae, and the absence of physical barriers, which are typical of other Lutjanus species. The current findings could initiate efficient management strategies for L. vitta along Malaysia and other nearby nations that share the same waterways.