Studying population genetic connectivity (i.e., identifying gene flow among populations and understanding their impacts on the genetic structure and diversity of populations) is first a matter of knowing what we work on, that is, accurately delimiting evolutionary units. Here, we focused on Pocillopora damicornis sensu stricto (or Pocillopora PSH04 sensu Gelin et al. in Mol Phylogenet Evol 109:430–446. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2017.01.018 , 2017). From 458 colonies sampled within the tropical southwestern Pacific [Chesterfield Islands and New Caledonia (Grande Terre and Loyalty Islands)], Bayesian assignments and network analyses were conducted with 11-microsatellite loci to first evaluate the genetic partitioning of the colonies in distinct Secondary Species Hypotheses (SSHs), then in distinct clusters. Population genetic connectivity was then assessed for each cluster separately. Pocillopora PSH04 was partitioned into two highly differentiated SSHs (SSH04a and SSH04b), regularly found in sympatry. Furthermore, SSH04a was subdivided into two clusters (SSH04a-1 and SSH04a-2). This pattern of genetic structuring seems not related to clonality, but rather to the establishment of reproductive barriers. Nevertheless, considering each cluster separately, the populations appeared highly differentiated, suggesting relatively weak gene flow. This low connectivity among populations, coupled with the existence of cryptic species, brings new insights to the connectivity pattern of this understudied Pacific region.

中文翻译：

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热带西南太平洋珊瑚 Pocillopora damicornis (Scleractinia) 种群之间的隐性物种和遗传连通性

研究种群遗传连通性（即识别种群之间的基因流动并了解它们对种群遗传结构和多样性的影响）首先要知道我们在做什么，即准确界定进化单位。在这里，我们专注于 Pocillopora damicornis sensu stricto（或 Pocillopora PSH04 sensu Gelin 等人，在 Mol Phylogenet Evol 109:430–446. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2017.01.017）， . 从热带西南太平洋 [切斯特菲尔德群岛和新喀里多尼亚（大地和洛亚蒂群岛）] 内采样的 458 个菌落中，使用 11 个微卫星位点进行贝叶斯分配和网络分析，以首先评估不同次要物种假设中菌落的遗传划分(SSH)，然后在不同的集群中。然后分别评估每个集群的种群遗传连通性。Pocillopora PSH04 被划分为两个高度分化的 SSH（SSH04a 和 SSH04b），它们经常出现在同种异体中。此外，SSH04a 被细分为两个集群（SSH04a-1 和 SSH04a-2）。这种遗传结构模式似乎与克隆性无关，而是与生殖障碍的建立有关。尽管如此，单独考虑每个集群，种群似乎高度分化，表明基因流相对较弱。种群之间的这种低连通性，再加上神秘物种的存在，为这个未被充分研究的太平洋地区的连通性模式带来了新的见解。经常在同情中发现。此外，SSH04a 被细分为两个集群（SSH04a-1 和 SSH04a-2）。这种遗传结构模式似乎与克隆性无关，而是与生殖障碍的建立有关。尽管如此，单独考虑每个集群，种群似乎高度分化，表明基因流相对较弱。种群之间的这种低连通性，再加上神秘物种的存在，为这个未被充分研究的太平洋地区的连通性模式带来了新的见解。经常在同情中发现。此外，SSH04a 被细分为两个集群（SSH04a-1 和 SSH04a-2）。这种遗传结构模式似乎与克隆性无关，而是与生殖障碍的建立有关。尽管如此，单独考虑每个集群，种群似乎高度分化，表明基因流相对较弱。种群之间的这种低连通性，再加上神秘物种的存在，为这个未被充分研究的太平洋地区的连通性模式带来了新的见解。种群似乎高度分化，表明基因流相对较弱。种群之间的这种低连通性，再加上神秘物种的存在，为这个未被充分研究的太平洋地区的连通性模式带来了新的见解。种群似乎高度分化，表明基因流相对较弱。种群之间的这种低连通性，再加上神秘物种的存在，为这个未被充分研究的太平洋地区的连通性模式带来了新的见解。