Data from: Mitochondrial genetic structure and matrilineal origin of white sharks, Carcharodon carcharias, in the Northeastern Pacific: implications for their conservation

White sharks (Carcharodon carcharias, WS henceforth) are globally and regionally threatened. Understanding their patterns of abundance and connectivity, as they relate to habitat use, is central for delineating conservation units and identifying priority areas for conservation. We analyze mitochondrial data to test the congruence between patterns of genetic connectivity and of individual movements in the Northeast Pacific (NEP); and to trace the matrilineal origin of immature WS from coastal California and Baja California to adult aggregation areas. We analyzed 186 mitochondrial control region sequences from sharks sampled in Central California (CC; n=61), Southern California Bight (SCB; n=25), Baja California Pacific coast (BCPC; n=9), Bahía Vizcaíno (BV; n=39), Guadalupe Island (GI; n=45) and the Gulf of California (GC; n=7). Significant mitochondrial differentiation between adult aggregation areas (CC, GI) revealed two reproductive populations in the NEP. We found general concordance between movement patterns of young and adult WS with genetic results. Young sharks from coastal California and Baja California were more likely born from females from GI. Mitochondrial differentiation of young-of-the-year from SCB and BV suggests philopatry to nursery areas in females from GI. These results provide a genetic basis of female reproductive behavior at a regional scale and point to a preponderance of sharks from GI in the use of the sampled coastal region as pupping habitat. These findings should be considered in Mexican and U.S. management and conservation strategies of the WS NEP population.大白鲨（Carcharodon carcharias，下文简称WS）在全球及区域尺度上均面临生存威胁。明晰其种群丰度与连通性模式（结合栖息地利用特征），是划定保护单元、确定保护优先区域的核心前提。本研究借助线粒体数据，旨在检验东北太平洋（Northeast Pacific, 下文简称NEP）内遗传连通性模式与个体移动模式的契合度，并追溯加利福尼亚沿岸与下加利福尼亚沿岸幼年WS的母系起源，明确其对应成体聚集区。本研究共分析了186条线粒体控制区序列，样本采集自以下区域：中加利福尼亚（Central California, 简称CC，n=61）、南加利福尼亚近岸海域（Southern California Bight, 简称SCB，n=25）、下加利福尼亚太平洋沿岸（Baja California Pacific coast, 简称BCPC，n=9）、比斯坎诺湾（Bahía Vizcaíno, 简称BV，n=39）、瓜达卢佩岛（Guadalupe Island, 简称GI，n=45）以及加利福尼亚湾（Gulf of California, 简称GC，n=7）。成体聚集区（CC与GI）之间存在显著的线粒体遗传分化，这表明东北太平洋内存在两个繁殖种群。研究发现，幼年与成年WS的移动模式与遗传分析结果总体一致：来自加利福尼亚沿岸与下加利福尼亚沿岸的幼年个体，其母系更可能源自GI种群的雌性个体。对SCB与BV区域当年生幼鲨的线粒体分化分析表明，GI种群的雌性个体存在育苗场返巢习性。本研究结果为区域性的雌性繁殖行为提供了遗传学依据，同时表明本次采样的沿岸区域作为产仔育苗场，其主要使用者为GI种群的大白鲨。上述研究结果应纳入墨西哥与美国针对东北太平洋WS种群的管理与保护策略中。