Assessing genetic diversity of populations of bartail flathead (Platycephalus indicus Linnaeus, ۱۷۵۸) in the Northern part of the Persian Gulf using AFLP markers

Genetic diversity of six populations of bartail flathead (Platycephalus indicus Linnaeus, ۱۷۵۸) was investigated using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). A total of ۱۱۸ reproducible bands amplified with ten AFLP primer combinations were obtained from ۴۲ fishes that were collected from six different locations in the northern part of the Persian Gulf. The percentage of polymorphic bands was ۵۷.۰۶%. Nei’s genetic diversity was ۰.۱۸۰۸±۰.۲۰۷۴ - ۰.۲۱۶۴±۰.۱۹۰۳, and Shannon’s index was ۰.۲۶۷۵±۰.۲۹۴۹ - ۰.۳۲۸۰±۰.۲۷۲۷. The results of AMOVA analysis indicated that ۶۶% and ۳۴% of the genetic variation occurred within and among the populations and gene flow was ۰.۶۴۵۴. The estimated level of population differentiation as measured by average Fst value across all loci was ۰.۳۲۷. Analyses revealed significant genetic differentiation with low gene flow among the six locations, indicating at least six separate populations of bartail flathead in the northern part of the Persian Gulf.