Population genetics of sand crab <i>Ovalipes punctatus</i> in Korean waters

To identify sand crab Ovalipes punctatus populations and establish management units for each population, mtDNA COI regions were analyzed. As a result, the clade of O. punctatus in Korea were separated by two with a genetic distance of 0.17 – 2.08%, and there was no significant difference in the result of pairwise F ST values representing genetic differentiation by sampling areas (p > 0.05). Also, no geographical separation found in the distribution of haplotypes and the results of the haplotype network. This result suggests that O. punctatus larvae were dispersed for a long time by the ocean current by suffering meroplanktonic period for 1 month, and increased the gene flow due to the development of the swimming legs for the increase in mobility. Therefore, in the results of mtDNA COI region analysis of O. punctatus in the East Sea, Yellow Sea, South Sea and East China Sea (Ieodo) of Korea, no clear intra-species differentiation was found.