1. GENETIC DIVERSITY OF SOME SOLEA
SOLEA ATLANTO-MEDITERRANEAN
POPULATIONS USING ALLOZYMES
AND EPIC-PCR MARKERS
KHALED OUANES, LILIA BAHRI-SFAR, MYRIAM KAOUECHE, MALEK
HAFFANI, FRANCOIS BONHOMME & OUM KALTHOUM BEN HASSINE
E-mail: kouanes@gmail.com

2. INTRODUCTION
The Mediterranean has some “special” features such as:
- A succession of geological and climatic complex events
- A complex faunistic history
-Transition Zones (Atlantic - the Western Mediterranean; The Western Mediterranean - the Eastern
Mediterranean; The Eastern Mediterranean - Red Sea) representing considerable areas of
exchanges which result in a significant biodiversity
During the last decades, the geological history of the Mediterranean
Sea, its hydrography and connection with the Atlantic Ocean have
been well studied. The Atlantic–Mediterranean transition remains
controversial at the biological level as there are discordant results
regarding the biogeographical separation between the Atlantic and
Mediterranean biota.

3. The opening of the Strait of Gibraltar (some 5.33 million years
ago), removed the land barriers that obstructed the marine biota
allowing it to disperse freely into the Mediterranean Sea.
However, present day genetic patterns suggest a limitation to gene
flow for some marine species. Mediterranean Fish taxa do not show a
uniform phylogeographical pattern.
Extreme striking cases were documented of either total separation
between Atlantic and Mediterranean populations or complete
absence of population differentiation between Atlantic and
Mediterranean samples.

4. In such context, we chose to analyze the spatial
population structure of some Atlanto-Mediterranean
populations of Solea solea to assess the existence of gene
flux between these populations.
This study is even more interesting if we deem in the fact that
Flatfish species, and especially soles, constitute good candidates for
aquaculture. This sector experiences a ceaseless development and
expansion when it comes to zootechnical procedures / techniques
and also the diversification of the cultivated species.

5. Biological Material
-Six Solea species exist along the
Tunisian coasts.
- Solea solea is one of the most
frequent sole species in Tunisia.
- It is present everywhere in the Solea solea
Mediterranean and lives along the
eastern shores of the Atlantic.
- It is distinguished from the
other Solea species thanks to the
morphological aspect of its fins.

6. Sampling sites

7. # Sampling site Number of individuals
1 Pertuis (France) 7
2 Morocco (Atlantic) 31
3 Morocco (Mediterranean) 30
4 Tabarka 6
5 Bizerta lagoon 15
6 Ischkeul 10
7 Ghar El Melh 6
8 Goulette 31
9 Sfax 80
10 Gabes 29
11 Boughrara 30
12 Biban lagoon 15
Total 290

8. THANK YOU!
For your time and attention