Pleistocene legacies in the contemporary population genetic structure of an acid-specialised crayfish, the threatened sand yabby Cherax robustus

Pleistocene legacies in the contemporary population genetic structure of an acid-specialised crayfish, the threatened sand yabby Cherax robustus | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL Ecology and Evolution This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 12 May 2026 V1 Latest version Share on Pleistocene legacies in the contemporary population genetic structure of an acid-specialised crayfish, the threatened sand yabby Cherax robustus Authors : Grace Smith 0009-0004-5511-0490 [email protected] , Tomer Ventura 0000-0002-0777-2367 [email protected] , and Catherine M. Yule [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/authorea.15003163/v1 In Revision Ecology and Evolution Peer review timeline 21 views 10 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Following decades of clearing, fragmentation, and degradation of coastal heathlands in southeast Queensland, many endemic species are now threatened with extinction, including the vulnerable sand yabby Cherax robustus (Parastacidae), a freshwater crayfish restricted to 200km 2 of acidic wetlands. Dramatic fluctuations in the biogeography of these wetlands, particularly during the glacial cycles of the Pleistocene, likely shaped the distribution and genetic structure of acid-specialist species, yet their historic and contemporary connectivity remains poorly understood, despite these species being particularly sensitive to habitat fragmentation and environmental change. Here, we investigate the genetic structure of two island and two mainland C. robustus populations within peatlands using DArTseq next-generation DNA sequencing. Analysis of over 7,000 SNP markers indicates population divergence around the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary, with no detectable gene flow between most sites for between 5000 and 13000 years. Geographic proximity did not predict genetic connectivity due to persistent dispersal barriers such as K’gari’s central dune ridge and the Great Sandy Strait. Despite this long-term isolation, we found evidence of genetic erosion in only one population, which should continue to be monitored, however the effect appears natural, predating European arrival in Australia. Populations otherwise appear to have remained genetically healthy where suitable habitat persists, despite thousands of years of isolation. Evidently, sand yabbies are not naturally rare within these stable environments but have become vulnerable through anthropogenic pressures of habitat loss and degradation. The strong population structuring observed means that each population represents a unique genetic lineage, and each lost is irreplaceable. Protecting all remaining habitat and preventing any further degradation is therefore critical to the conservation of this species as well as the wider ecosystem. Supplementary Material File (d97a6d91-1a00-407a-9142-5db77b9fb023.pdf) d97a6d91-1a00-407a-9142-5db77b9fb023 Download 1.29 MB File (snp.csv) snp Download 30.46 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 12 May 2026 Peer review timeline In Revision Ecology and Evolution 14 May 2026 Review Complete 14 May 2026 Review Complete 14 May 2026 Editorial Decision: Revise (minor) Collection Ecology and Evolution Authors Affiliations Grace Smith 0009-0004-5511-0490 [email protected] University of the Sunshine Coast School of Science Technology and Engineering, Sippy Downs, Australia, 4556 View all articles by this author Tomer Ventura 0000-0002-0777-2367 [email protected] University of the Sunshine Coast School of Science Technology and Engineering, Sippy Downs, Australia, 4556 View all articles by this author Catherine M. Yule [email protected] University of the Sunshine Coast School of Science Technology and Engineering, Sippy Downs, Australia, 4556 View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 21 views 10 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Grace Smith, Tomer Ventura, Catherine M. Yule. Pleistocene legacies in the contemporary population genetic structure of an acid-specialised crayfish, the threatened sand yabby Cherax robustus. Authorea . 12 May 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/authorea.15003163/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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