NATIONAL AGENCY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

Director: Dr. Daniel Fernández.

Participantes: Dr. Enrique Lessa, Lic. Santiago Ceballos, Dr. Fabián Vanella

Estructura geográfica poblacional del róbalo


The main goal of the project is to evaluate how fish populations have responded to the environmental variation associated to a wide latitudinal gradient, in terms of population genetic structure and phenotypic variation. In the long term the project will contribute to the knowledge of the differentiation process (and in the end speciation) in response to environmental variation, with or without geographic isolation.

In particular, we will investigate the genetic variability and the population structure of the robalo, Eleginops maclovinus (Perciforms), and its relationship qith the structura and rate of growth of the swimming muscles along a extense latitudinal gradient (14°) this species inhabit along the Patagonian coast. This latitudinal gradient correlates with a 16°C thermal amplitud. The project has clear implicances in relation to the conservation and management of autoctonous species important for the artisanal fisheries.