Phylogenetic divergence and population genetics of the hydrothermal vent annelid genus Hesiolyra along the East Pacific Rise: Reappraisal using multi‐locus data

Maintaining genetic connectivity is crucial for species that inhabit the disjunct and unstable deep‐sea hydrothermal vents. We aimed to re‐assess the connectivity of the annelid genus Hesiolyra distributed at hydrothermal vents along the East Pacific Rise (EPR). A previous study detected a major clade among five Hesiolyra populations spanning from 13°N to 21°S and a minor sympatric southern clade with ~1% divergence from the major clade. However, this study was based on a short locus of 366‐bp COI gene, which might not contain sufficient informative sites.