1Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 981-8555, Japan
In order to reveal the conservation and management units of Corbicula japonica in East Asia, the genetic population structure of the corbicula species was investigated using mtDNA COI sequences. In total, 653 specimens of C. japonica and C. spp. were collected from 23 localities in Japan, Russia, the Korean Peninsula and China. COI sequences revealed that the specimens were divided into four groups of species: C. japonica, C. sp. (type Taifu I), C. leana and C. sandai. The C. japonica group could then be divided into four geographic groups: 1) Russia, Hokkaido and Japan Sea group, 2) Pacific Ocean group, 3) North-East of Korean Peninsula group, and 4) South-West of Korean Peninsula group. In addition, two genetically independent populations, Tone River and Kuwana in Japan, were observed, suggesting the invasion of foreign genomes.