Files and links (1)
Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Global analyses of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) using next-generation sequencing reveal multiple populations
ICES Journal of Marine Science, Vol.82(12), pp.1-12
2025
Abstract
The sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) is a mobile epipelagic billfish whose range extends across the world’s tropical and subtropical oceans. Once thought to be two allopatric species, respectively inhabiting the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic oceans, molecular analyses support a single species with global distribution. Adequate sampling of widespread pelagic species presents considerable challenges, and most previous studies on sailfish used small numbers of molecular markers. As such, our understanding of their global population structure was limited. In this study, we collaborated with fisheries researchers and fishers to build a comprehensive genomic dataset of single-nucleotide polymorphisms for sailfish spanning most of its range. Here, we examined genetic variation using three filtering approaches: (i) the full-loci dataset, (ii) putatively neutral loci, and (iii) large-FST loci for 590 sailfish from 20 locations to explore contemporary population structure and connectivity in a global context. Cluster analyses of all datasets indicated three discrete populations: the Atlantic, eastern Pacific, and Indo-West Pacific oceans. For the first time, sailfish sampled from locations across the Indo-West Pacific revealed genetic connectivity throughout this region. Analyses of a subset of large-FST loci suggested a small reduction in gene flow between the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean and between the western Indian Ocean and the rest of the Indo-West Pacific. These insights into contemporary population structure can inform future stock assessments and cross-jurisdictional management of this migratory marine species.
Details
- Title
- Global analyses of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) using next-generation sequencing reveal multiple populations
- Authors
- Laura M. Smith (Corresponding Author) - The University of QueenslandSamuel M. Williams - Department of Primary IndustriesBruno Lopes da Silva Ferrette - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)Bonnie J. Holmes - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and EngineeringNelly Isigi Kadagi - World Wildlife FundChing Ping Lu - National Taiwan Ocean UniversitySofia Ortega-Garcia - Instituto Politécnico NacionalJulian G. Pepperell - Pepperell Research and Consulting (Noosaville, Australia)Ian R. Tibbetts - The University of QueenslandNina Wambiji - Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research InstituteSammy Wambua - University of GlasgowChristine L. Dudgeon - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Publication details
- ICES Journal of Marine Science, Vol.82(12), pp.1-12
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1093/icesjms/fsaf232
- ISSN
- 1095-9289; 1054-3139
- Copyright note
- © The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
- Data Availability
- SNP data used in this study is available on the University of Queensland eSpace (https://doi.org/10.48610/c1ba0c1). Raw data and code will be shared upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.
- Grant note
- This study received funding from the Game Fishing Association of Australia Research and Development Foundation. B.L.S.F. was supported by a grant from the São Paulo Research Foundation (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) (FAPESP 2023/08871%–2).
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991193872902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
1 Record Views