Population structure of Ammodytes marinus in the Northeast Atlantic

Abstract

Samples of the lesser sandeel species Ammodytes marinus Raitt were collected from Iceland, Denmark, Scotland, the Faeroe Islands and central and northern North Sea, and analysed for frequency distributions of genotypes of polymorphic enzymes. Main emphasize was laid on the enzymes IDHP, PGI and PGM, which were analysed by standard starch gel electrophoresis with two buffer systems. The chose of enzymes is based upon earlier studies in Scotland, Denmark as well as preliminar analyses at the University of Bergen. The genotype distributions from the different areas were compared by standard statistical methods and interpreted with respect to excistence of different gene pools of this species. The sample from Iceland was the most deviating one compared to the rest of the samples showing that A. marinus in the northeast Atlantic consist of more than one panmiktic population.