Investigation of population genetic structure of the pink anemonefish, Amphiprion perideraion, in the southern coast of Viet Nam.

Abstract

Pink anemonefish (Amphiprion perideraion) has commercial value as a popular aquarium fish, and due to its collection from the wild, there are concerns for the conservation of the species. Six polymorphic microsatellites were used to reveal the population genetic structure of pink anemonefish from three locations (Quang Nam, Khanh Hoa – Ninh Thuan, and Phu Quoc) in Viet Nam. Analyses showed high levels of gene flow among populations sampled from the South China Sea (FST = 0.008, P > 0.05). the genetic homogeneity of A. perideraion in this region is likely due to the oceanographic-driven interaction of pelagic larvae in central waters off Viet Nam. in contrast, the strong genetic structure was evident among the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand populations (FST = 0.131 – 0.146, P < 0.000). This high genetic differentiation between the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand populations suggests that the sustainable management of this species in Viet Nam needs to be enacted according to indigenous needs as two separate stocks.