Analyses of 478 polymorphic AFLP loci and about 540 base pairs COI provided an account of genetic variation among Ruditapes
decussatus populations from both the French Atlantic coast and the Mediterranean Sea. AFLP analyses of 357 specimens from 17
locations revealed evidence of significant genetic differentiation among populations (Fst = 0.16; P<0.001). Data on COI sequences
from Mediterranean and Atlantic populations showed a lower genetic diversity among populations. Mismatch analysis found signatures
of past genetic bottlenecks in R. decussatus populations. These findings confirmed the utility of AFLP for population genetic study
while indicated that COI sequences, characterized by a lower intraspecific variability, could be more suitable markers for evolutionary
studies
