Genetic divergence in the Indian mackerel Rastrelliger kanagurta (Cuv) from the coastal waters of Peninsular India and the Andaman Sea

Abstract

Genetic divergence in the Indian mackerel Rastrelliger kanagurta (Cuv) from the west coast (Goa), east coast (Madras) and the Andaman Sea was estimated, using allozyme markers. Skeletal muscle and eye proteins were electrophoretically analysed for 5 enzymes and sarcoplasmic proteins. The sacroplasmic protein-2(PROT-2) locus of the west coast and east coast populations was highly polymorphic with 3 alleles (100, 125 and 150). Most of the individuals wre homozygous for PROT-2(-100)allele. The PROT-2 locus of the Andaman population was nearly monomorphic with the individuals being homozygous for PROT-2(-150)allele. Nei's mean genetic distances (D) ranged from 0.0003 to 0.0017 for the east coast samples and there was no geopgraphic strucuture in the distribution of genetic distances. Between the west coast/east coast and the Andaman samples the average D was0.059. This value lies on the higher range of values suggested for local races of a species.