Genetic Connectivity of a Vulnerable Coral Reef Wrasse Across Four Pacific Islands

Genetic data for the endemic wrasse Coris bulbifrons, a species listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, from four locations in the southwest Pacific Ocean. The dataset, provided by Parks Australia, includes mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA markers used to estimate historic and contemporary gene flow and self-replenishment rates. The research was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of marine protected areas at an endemic hotspot.

Use Cases

• Assessing marine protected area network effectiveness based on genetic connectivity patterns described in the study.
• Modeling population self-replenishment for conservation planning based on reported rates of 68–93%.
• Comparing historic versus contemporary gene flow using the mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA markers mentioned.
• Prioritizing conservation sites for endemic species based on the identified differentiation at Norfolk Island.

Strengths

• Focuses on a specific vulnerable species (Coris bulbifrons) listed by the IUCN.
• Includes genetic data from all four known locations in the species' range.
• Compares connectivity across both protected (Middleton Reef, Lord Howe Island) and non-protected areas.
• Uses dual genetic markers (mtDNA and msatDNA) to estimate both historic and contemporary gene flow.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data freshness should be verified; last metadata update was 2026-07-15.

Provenance

Source

Parks Australia, referencing a source publication.

Collection Method

Population genetic study using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite DNA (msatDNA) markers.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-15 02:14:55.557765; freshness should be verified.

Geography

South-west Pacific Ocean: Middleton Reef, Elizabeth Reef, Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island.