ABSTRACT
The Late Pleistocene climate fluctuations have had a major impact on
phylogeographic structure and historical dynamics of marine fishes in
the marginal seas of the western Pacific Ocean. The puffer fishLagocephalus spadiceus , has high nutritional and economic value
in the South China Sea. To allow the examination of the demographic
history and population structure of the L. spadiceus , the
mitochondrial DNA COI and Cyt b gene datasets of 300
individuals from eight populations in the South China Sea was sequenced.
High haplotype diversity (0.874 ± 0.013) and low nucleotide diversity
(0.00075 ± 0.00058) were observed. The phylogenetic tree and haplotypes
network revealed no significant genetic differentiation along the coast
of the northern South China Sea. Neutrality tests, mismatch distribution
analysis, and Bayesian skyline plots suggested that L. spadiceusexperienced population expansion during the Late Pleistocene. Ocean
currents and climate change play important roles in shaping the
geographical distribution and genetic population structure of L.
spadiceus .