Abstract

This study investigates the population genetic structure of the short-beaked garfish Belone svetovidovi across the Turkish marine coasts using two mitochondrial markers, cytochrome oxidase I and 12S ribosomal RNA. A total of 280 individuals were sampled from seven sites across the Black Sea, Marmara Sea, and Aegean Sea. Haplotype network analyses showed that COI provided greater resolution, displaying a star-like topology that points to recent population expansion, while 12S rRNA exhibited more conserved patterns, aligning with purifying selection. Tajima’s D values diverged between loci, indicating potential population structuring and demographic processes. Overall, COI captured among-basin differentiation, while 12S rRNA supported deep lineage splits. These findings highlight the complementary nature of mtDNA markers and provide baseline data for future phylogeographic and conservation studies in Belonidae species.

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