Phylogeography of a pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima) across the Indo-Australian Archipelago: evidence of strong regional structure and population expansions but no phylogenetic breaks

This study investigates the genetic structure and phylogeography of a broadcast spawning bivalve mollusc, Pinctada maxima, throughout the Indo-West Pacific and northern Australia. DNA sequence variation of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was analysed in 367 individuals sampled from nine populations across the Indo-West Pacific. Hierarchical AMOVA indicated strong genetic structuring amongst populations (FST?=?0.372, P?