Population genetic structure and genetic diversity of three
critically endangered Pristis sawfishes in Australian waters
Phillips, N.M., Chaplin, J.A., Morgan, D.L. and Peverell, S.C.
(2011) Population genetic structure and genetic diversity of
three critically endangered Pristis sawfishes in Australian
waters. Marine Biology, 158 (4). pp. 903-915. *Subscription may
be required Northern Australia is considered to be one of the
last strongholds for three critically endangered sawfishes,
Pristis zijsron, Pristis clavata, and Pristis microdon, making
these populations of global significance. Population structure
and levels of genetic diversity were assessed for each species
across northern Australia using a portion of the mitochondrial
control region. Statistically significant genetic structure was
detected in all three species, although it was higher in P.
microdon (FST = 0.811; N = 149) than in either P. clavata (FST =
0.419; N = 73) or P. zijsron (FST = 0.202; N = 49), possibly due
to a much higher and/or loc