DOI: 10.5061/dryad.bk3j9kd6m
title: Data from: Genetic diversity of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) throughout West Africa

description: Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is a globally significant aquaculture
 species rapidly gaining status as a farmed commodity. In West Africa, wild
 Nile tilapia genetic resources are abundant yet knowledge of fine-scale
 population structure and patterns of natural genetic variation are
 limited. Coinciding with this is a burgeoning growth in tilapia
 aquaculture in Ghana and other countries within the region underpinned by
 locally available genetic resources. Using 192 single nucleotide
 polymorphism (SNP) markers this study conducted a genetic survey of Nile
 tilapia throughout West Africa, sampling 23 wild populations across eight
 countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Mali, Gambia
 and Senegal), representing the major catchments of the Volta, Niger,
 Senegal and Gambia River basins.  A pattern of
 isolation-by-distance and significant spatial genetic structure was
 identified throughout West Africa (Global FST = 0.144), which largely
 corresponds to major river basins and, to a lesser extent, sub-basins. Two
 populations from the Gambia River (Kudang and Walekounda), one from the
 western Niger River (Lake Sélingué) and one from the upper Red Volta River
 (Kongoussi) showed markedly lower levels of diversity and high genetic
 differentiation compared to all other populations, suggesting genetically
 isolated populations occurring across the region. Genetic structure within
 the Volta Basin did not always follow the pattern expected for sub-river
 basins. This study identifies clear genetic structuring and
 differentiation amongst West African Nile tilapia populations, which
 concur with broad patterns found in previous studies. In addition, we
 provide new evidence for fine-scale genetic structuring within the Volta
 Basin and previously unidentified genetic differences of populations in
 Gambia. The 192 SNP marker suite used in this study is a useful tool for
 differentiating tilapia populations and we recommend incorporating this
 marker suite into future population screening of O. niloticus. Our results
 form the basis of a solid platform for future research on wild tilapia
 genetic resources in West Africa, and the identification of potentially
 valuable germplasm for use in ongoing breeding programs for aquaculture.
description: Dataset of 192 SNP genotypes of wild Nile tilapia,
 <em>Oreochromis niloticus. </em>Detailed methodology
 outlined in: Lind C.E. et al. Genetic diversity of Nile
 tilapia (<em>Oreochromis niloticus</em>) throughout West
 Africa (2019). <strong>Scientific Reports</strong>
 doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-53295-y   
description: Alleles for each SNP are provided separate columns, with the
 suffix "##.1" and "##.2" indicating alleles 1 and 2
 for each SNP. Full names of each SNP are given in a
 separate file. Originally described in: Van BERS, N. E., CROOIJMANS, R.
 P., GROENEN, M. A., DIBBITS, B. W. and KOMEN, J. (2012), SNP marker
 detection and genotyping in tilapia. <strong>Molecular Ecology
 Resources,</strong> 12: 932-941. doi:10.1111/j.1755-0998.2012.03144.x