Insights on Pinna nobilis population genetic structure in the Aegean and Ionian Sea

PeerJ. 2023 Nov 29:11:e16491. doi: 10.7717/peerj.16491. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

The fan mussel Pinna nobilis Linnaeus, 1758 is an endemic species of the Mediterranean Sea, protected by international agreements. It is one of the largest bivalves in the world, playing an important role in the benthic communities; yet it has been recently characterized as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, due to mass mortality events. In this context, the assessment of the genetic variation of the remaining P. nobilis populations and the evaluation of connectivity among them are crucial elements for the conservation of the species. For this purpose, samples were collected from six regions of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea; the Islands of Karpathos, Lesvos and Crete; the Chalkidiki and Attica Peninsulas; and the Amvrakikos Gulf. Sampling was performed either by collecting tissue from the individuals or by using a non-invasive method, i.e., by scraping the inside of their shells aiming to collect their mucus and thus avoid stress induction to them. Conventional molecular techniques with the use of the COI and 16S rRNA mitochondrial markers were selected for the depiction of the intra-population genetic variability. The analyses included 104 samples from the present study and publicly available sequences of individuals across the whole Mediterranean Sea. The results of this work (a) suggest the use of eDNA as an efficient sampling method for protected bivalves and (b) shed light to the genetic structure of P. nobilis population in the Eastern Mediterranean; this latter knowledge might prove to be fundamental for the species conservation and hence the ecosystem resilience. The haplotype analyses reinforced the evidence that there is a certain degree of connectivity among the distinct regions of the Mediterranean; yet there is evidence of population distinction within the basin, namely between the Western and the Eastern basins. The combination of both genetic markers in the same analysis along with the inclusion of a large number of individuals produced more robust results, revealing a group of haplotypes being present only in the Eastern Mediterranean and providing insights for the species' most suitable conservation management.

Keywords: 16S rRNA; COI; Critically endangered; Genetic structure; Haplotype networks; Mediterranean; Pinna nobilis; Population genetics; eDNA.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bivalvia* / genetics
  • Ecosystem*
  • Genetics, Population
  • Haplotypes / genetics
  • Humans
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics

Substances

  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the RECONNECT project [MIS 5017160] financed by the Transnational Cooperation Programme Interreg V-B “Balkan-Mediterranean 2014–2020” and co-funded by the European Union and National Funds of the participating countries and by the PINNA STATUS project, funded by the Hellenic Green Fund and its funding program “Natural Environment and Innovative Environmental Actions 2020”, in the Priority Axis “Biodiversity Conservation Actions”. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.