As an introduced species, the Mediterranean blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis is widely distributed in the north-western Pacific. However, the mussel's introduction pathway, colonisation route and source of introduction are unclear. In the present study, genetic variation among 11 colonised populations of M. galloprovincialis in the north-western Pacific was analysed using fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) detected no significant differences at any hierarchical level, and all fixation index (FST) values were non-significant, reflecting a founder event and potential high dispersal ability. Phylogenetic analysis showed that populations of M. galloprovincialis in the north-western Pacific were introduced from the middle Mediterranean Sea and that the Dalian population was the first colonised population in the coastal waters of China. By assessing the origin of introduced populations of M. galloprovincialis, the present study provides new insights into the biogeography of M. galloprovincialis.
Evaluation of translocation impacts on genetic patterns in farmed and naturalized populations of Mytilus galloprovincialis along the China coast: clues from mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I sequences
