Marine fishes usually exhibit low genetic differentiation among the populations over a large geographical area because of the absence of obvious barriers. However, recently some studies have revealed variation in genetic diversity and structured popul...
Marine fishes usually exhibit low genetic differentiation among the populations over a large geographical area because of the absence of obvious barriers. However, recently some studies have revealed variation in genetic diversity and structured populations, even on a fine geographical scale for widely distributed migratory species, or similar in biological characteristics. Anthropogenic factors such as overfishing, different biological characteristics, and complicated marine environment assume to contribute to differentiation. The Northwest Pacific region is very significant for genetic diversity, population genetic structure, and demographic studies because of its historical climatic oscillation and diversified environmental settings. Many commercially important species with similar or different characteristics and distribution patterns are sympatric in the Northwest Pacific. Their abundance is decreasing day by day. The objectives of this study were to investigate the genetic diversity, population structure, and demographic history of the nine commercially important species by mitochondrial DNA control region marker, in the Northwest Pacific with different distribution and how the different factors influencing the genetic patterns for each species. In the first group, four species from different groups (Hyporhamphus sajori, Clupea pallasii, Thamnaconus modestus, and Scomber japonicus) with different distribution were included. Among these four species, H. sajori exhibit very low genetic diversity, whereas the other three species showed high genetic diversity. Within species, C. pallasii and S. japonicus showed variation in genetic diversity among the populations. According to the neutrality test and mismatch distribution analysis, all four species have undergone historical population expansion, and T. modestus, and S. japonicus populations, assume to the admixture of two historically separate populations. Pairwise FST for H. sajori, C. pallasii, and T. modestus showed genetic homogeneity, whereas for S. japonicus showed structured populations. Second group was composed of three closely related hexagrammid fish species (Hexagrammos agrammus, Hexagrammos otakii, and Pleurogrammus azonus) with similar characteristics, sympatric in the Northwest Pacific. Among these three species, H. agrammus and H. otakii exhibit high genetic diversity. However, within species, H. otakii showed variation in genetic diversity among the population. Neutrality test and mismatch distribution analysis revealed that H. agrammus and H. otakii have experienced population expansion. Pairwise FST for H. agrammus, and H. otakii showed genetically homogenous and structured populations, respectively. On the other hand, P. azonus revealed extremely low genetic diversity and genetically undifferentiated populations however, more samples and more sensitive markers than the mtDNA control region assume to require to accurately determine the genetic diversity and population structure of P. azonus. In the third group, two pleuronectids, flounder species (Pseudopleuronectes yokohamae and Glyptocephalus stelleri) with different distribution and characters were studied. Both of them revealed high genetic diversity. The neutrality test and mismatch distribution revealed that both of them have undergone population expansion. Pairwise FST for P. yokohamae showed genetically structured populations, whereas the G. stelleri showed undifferentiated populations. In this study, it was observed that historical climatic oscillations played an important role in shaping the genetic diversity, as well as the population structure of all fish species. Overfishing was found as an important factor for the loss of genetic diversity in some species. For H. sajori and P. azonus, natural selection could be a cause for extremely low genetic diversity. On the other hand, site fidelity, reproductive behavior, migration patterns, current patterns, and hydrographic conditions (temperature, salinity) may also contribute to producing genetically structured populations. Therefore, the different species even from the same family and similar ecological characteristics, living in the sympatric zone with the comparable environment may have different genetic structures mainly due to the different biological characters and interaction with the complicated marine environment.