Genetic diversity of Atlantic Bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean Sea: insights from genome-wide SNPs and microsatellites

Background Elucidating the patterns of the Atlantic Bluefin tuna[ABFT, Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758)] population structure constitutes a challenging task of great importance. Most of the unique challenges stem from its biology, as well as the attributes of the marine realm in which it disperses. Accurate information is urgently needed for stock assessment, and the identification of critical features to the persistence and adaptation of populations in order to formulate and adopt effective strategies for ABFT conservation and management. Conclusions of a great number of ABFT genetic studies on the Mediterranean Seastock structure are rather controversial and not yet conclusive. In this study, ABFT genomic diversity was investigated in the Mediterranean Sea, which is the most important area for the species’ reproduction.