NOTE Richardson and Gold Mitochondrial DNA diversity in and population structure of Epmephelus mono 
175 
Figure 1 
Sampling localities of red grouper ( Epinephelus morio). 
zyme analysis package; McElroy et al., 1992) com- 
puter software packages. A minimum-length parsi- 
mony network of mtDNA haplotypes was constructed 
by connecting haplotypes in increments of (inferred) 
single site gains and losses. 
Results 
Digestion patterns of the ten restriction enzymes 
revealed 16 mtDNA haplotypes among all red grou- 
per assayed to date (exclusive of the five individuals 
from the Dry Tortugas sampled by Richardson and 
Gold [1993, Table 1]). Of the 16 mtDNA haplotypes, 
one (haplotype 1) accounted for 77% of all individu- 
als sampled. Four haplotypes were present in both 
geographic regions. The remaining 12 haplotypes 
were unique to a geographic region (Table 1). Per- 
centage nucleotide sequence divergence between in- 
dividual haplotypes ranged from 0.09 to 0.59 (mean 
±SE = 0.27 ±0.01). 
MtDNA nucleon diversity among individuals from 
the Campeche Banks was 0.365. This value is lower 
than that found among individuals from the west 
coast of Florida (0.457). Percentage intrapopulational 
nucleotide sequence diversity among individuals 
from the Campeche Banks was 0.042 ± 0.001 (mean 
± SE), as compared with 0.078 ± 0.003 among indi- 
viduals from the west coast of Florida. Nucleon and 
intrapopulational nucleotide sequence diversities 
among all red grouper assayed to date are 0.389 and 
0.059 ±0.001, respectively. Values obtained are based 
on the 28 restriction enzymes surveyed by Rich- 
ardson and Gold ( 1993) and on the assumption that 
the restriction enzymes previously found to be 
monomorphic among red grouper from the west 
coast of Florida are monomorphic among red grou- 
per from Mexico as well. 
Results of tests for homogeneity of mtDNA hap- 
lotype frequencies between the two localities were 
nonsignificant (G=20.02, P~ 0.21 and % 2 =14.71, 
P= 0.55). The parsimony network (Fig. 2) included 
a single “assumed” haplotype (i.e. one not detected 
in the survey ). All the haplotypes in the network, 
including the “assumed” haplotype, could be de- 
rived from adjacent haplotypes by one or two re- 
striction site changes. The most common haplo- 
type (haplotype 1) was considered to be central, 
and nine of the remaining 14 haplotypes were de- 
rived from the central haplotype by a single re- 
striction site change. Haplotypes 5 and 8 are most 
divergent and are separated from the common 
haplotype by 4 restriction site changes. Except for 
haplotypes 5 and 8, and 6 and 7 (all from Campeche 
Banks, Mexico) which are grouped by a single re- 
striction site change, no geographic partitioning was 
evident. 
Table 1 
Distribution of 16 mitochondrial DNA composite genotypes 
(haplotypes). 
Composite 
Haplotype MtDNA 
number genotype 7 
Locality 
Campeche 
Banks 
West Florida 
Shelf 
1 
AAAAAAAAAA 
43 
34 
2 
AAABAAAAAA 
1 
1 
3 
AAAAAAAAAB 
3 
2 
4 
AAAABAAAAA 
1 
1 
5 
ABAAAABAAC 
— 
1 
6 
AAAAAABAAA 
— 
1 
7 
AABAAABAAA 
— 
1 
8 
ABAAAABCAB 
— 
1 
9 
CAAAAAAAAA 
— 
1 
10 
AAAAABAAAA 
— 
l 
11 
AAAAAAABBA 
— 
1 
12 
BAAAAAAAAB 
— 
1 
13 
AAAACAAAAA 
2 
— 
14 
ACAAAAAAAA 
2 
— 
15 
AAAAAAADAB 
1 
— 
16 
AAAAAAABAA 
1 
— 
1 Letters (from left to right) are digestion patterns for Apal, Kpnl, 
Ncol, Nde I, Nhel , Nsil, Pvull, SspI, Xbal, and Xmnl. Restric- 
tion fragment sizes may be found in Richardson and Gold ( 1993). 
Fragment sizes for three restriction fragment patterns not pre- 
viously identified are as follows: (in base pairs) KpnKC). 16800; 
NheUC): 6800, 3200, 2950, 2450, 1300, 50; and SspI(D): 6000, 
5400, 2900, 1700, 800. 
