High levels of connectivity over large distances in the diadematid sea urchin Centrostephanus sylviae

Most benthic marine invertebrates with sedentary benthic adult phases have planktonic larvae that permit connectivity between geographically isolated populations. Planktonic larval duration and oceanographic processes are vital to connecting populations of species inhabiting remote and distant islands. In the present study, we analyzed the population genetic structure of the sea urchin Centrostephanus sylviae, which inhabits only the Juan Fernández Archipelago and the Desventuradas islands, separated by more than 800 km. For 92 individuals collected from Robinson Crusoe and Selkirk Islands (Juan Fernández Archipelago) and San Ambrosio Island (Desventuradas Islands), 7,067 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were obtained. The results did not show a spatial genetic structure for C. sylviae; relative high migration rates were revealed between the islands. An analysis of the water circulation pattern in the area described a predominant northward water flow with periods of inverted flow, suggesting that larvae could move in both directions. Overall, this evidence suggests that C. sylviae comprises a single large population composed of individuals separated by more than 800 km.