Comparison of the genetic variability of geographically distant populations of selected species of European marine gobies

Gobies (Gobiidae, Actinopterygii) are small, predominantly cryptic, marine, brackish and freshwater fishes. They abundantly inhabit coastal waters, although their occurrence is far from being mapped due to their inconspicity, often hidden lifestyle and a lack of commercial use. Information about distribution of many species is therefore still rather poor. Many species are known only from a few locations scattered throughout the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic. This suggests that most species could actually have a relatively continuous distribution area. Comparing the genetic variability of geographically distant populations of the same species can help to detect whether there is some population subdivision and whether populations are genetically isolated from each other. The aim of my thesis was to compare genetic variability of the populations of eight goby species: Corcyrogobius liechtensteini, Gobius cruentatus, Gobius geniporus, Gobius incognitus, Chromogobius quadrivittatus, Chromogobius zebratus, Millerigobius macrocephalus and Zebrus zebrus within Mediterranean Sea and north-eastern Atlantic Ocean. Samples used in this work were collected from two Atlantic (Spain and Portugal) and seven Mediterranean localities (France, Sicily, Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, and Cyprus - northern and..