Simenchelys parasitica MIG-seq project. Simenchelys parasitica

Deep-sea mining of hydrothermal deposits off the coast of Japan is currently under consideration, and environmental baseline studies of the area are required to understand possible impacts. The aim of this study is to clarify population structures of dominant benthic megafaunal species living outside of the inactive hydrothermal vents in the Okinawa Trough, using a population genetics approach. We examined a dominant deep-sea scavenging synaphobranchid eel Simenchelys parasitica based on a single nucleotide polymorphism analysis. Several locations were sampled within Okinawa Trough to examine intra-population diversity while two other locations 1400-2400 km away were chosen for inter-population comparisons.

日本沿海热液矿床的深海开采项目目前正处于论证阶段，为评估该活动可能带来的潜在环境影响，亟需开展该区域的环境本底调查研究。本研究旨在运用种群遗传学方法，明确冲绳海槽非活跃热液喷口外围优势底栖大型动物的种群结构。研究以优势深海食腐类深海康吉鳗科物种寄生盲康吉鳗（Simenchelys parasitica）为研究对象，采用单核苷酸多态性（single nucleotide polymorphism, SNP）分析技术开展相关研究。研究团队于冲绳海槽内设置多个采样点以分析种群内遗传多样性；同时选取1400至2400公里外的两处采样点，用于开展种群间比较研究。