The Coilia nasus is an important fish species, which is of commercial values in China. In order to manage the fisheries resources and the development of sustainable fishing strategies to protect this species, 11 microsatellite loci polymorphisms and mtDNA COI sequences were used to examine the genetic diversity of C. nasus in Japan and China. In total, the 40 COI haplotypes and 93 microsatellite alleles were detected. The mtDNA phylogeny did not support population grouping, but the distribution patterns of mtDNA haplotypes and the results of STRUCTURE analysis based on microsatellite indicated a degree of genetic isolation in this species. Our study suggested that the lack of a population genetic structure might result in its amphidromous life cycle, and the geographical distance and habitat fragments might cause isolated populations. Thus, the sampling populations of C. nasus in Japan and China could be divided as four geographical/ecological populations.
Keywords: Coilia nasus; geographical/ecological population; microsatellite; mitochondrial DNA.