Rough periwinkle polymorphism on the east coast of Yorkshire: Comparison of RAPD-DNA data with morphotype

Abstract

A genetic analysis of 'morphotypes' of Littorina saxatilis from two locations on the north-east coast of England (Filey and Ravenscar), using randomly amplified DNA polymorphisms (RAPD) generated with a single primer, revealed quite different patterns of variation. Thin shelled, wide-apertured (H-form) animals from Ravenscar tended to cluster separately from thick shelled (M) forms, indicating genetic differentiation of these morphs. Animals of similar morphology (H and M) from Filey (about 30 km distant) did not display such an obvious pattern, and although there was still evidence of differentiation from discriminant analysis of RAPD data, levels of correct classification were reduced at Filey. This suggests that the utility of a single RAPD primer for separation of such forms varies over a relatively small distance. L. arcana from Ravenscar, included as an outgroup, were generally well differentiated from L. saxatilis and were noted to exhibit less variation, a phenomenon that has been noted previously in some allozyme and RAPD analyses. A similar RAPD analysis undertaken on small, barnacle dwelling, brooding forms from Peak Steel, Ravenscar revealed that animals appeared to have as great a tendency to cluster together on a microgeographic scale (by collection patch) as by 'species' (L. neglecta or L. saxatilis b) although predominance of certain species in individual patches largely explains this. Discriminant analysis of RAPD presence/absence data did correctly place over 90% of barnacle dwelling animals to their respective species, and we consider this as evidence of separate gene pools. RAPD is taken to be a useful tool for screening genetic variation in this complex of animals on a local scale when either a pre-selected informative primer is utilised or a battery of primers is used, but its efficacy may be reduced when a single primer is employed for screening animals from different shores. © 1998 Kluwer Academic Publishers.