Populations of anadromous European smelt ( Osmerus eperlanus L.) are declining across its range with mitigation efforts for this ecologically important species hindered by a lack of demographic information. Here, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite analyses were used to describe historical and recurrent demographics for the species across a large part of its range. mtDNA revealed a shallow phylogeographic structure in...

Bacterioplankton underpin biogeochemical cycles and an improved understanding of the patterns and drivers of variability in their distribution is needed to determine their wider functioning and importance. Sharp environmental gradients and dispersal barriers associated with ocean fronts are emerging as key determinants of bacterioplankton biodiversity patterns. We examined how the development of the Celtic Sea Front (CF), a ti...

Two geographically nonoverlapping species are currently described within the sparid genus Spondyliosoma : Spondyliosoma cantharus (Black Seabream) occurring across Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic waters from NW Europe to Angola and S. emarginatum (Steentjie) considered endemic to southern Africa. To address prominent knowledge gaps this study investigated range‐wide phylogeographic structure across both species. Mitochondri...

Two sister species of horse mackerel ( Trachurus trachurus and T. capensis ) are described that are intensively harvested in East Atlantic waters. To address long‐standing uncertainties as to their respective geographical ranges, overlap and intraspecific population structure this study combined genetic (mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite) analysis and targeted sampling of the hitherto understudied West African coast. mtDNA...