005, P = 0.001; DEST = 0.031, P = 0.001, n = 364) and mitochondrial control region sequences (FST = 0.017 and ΦST = 0.069, P = 0.001, n = 364). Bayesian clustering analyses using microsatellite data could not resolve any population structure unless sampling location was provided as a prior. This study supports the emerging evidence that weak genetic differentiation is characteristic among neighboring Southern Hemisphere humpback whale AZD1152-HQPA datasheet breeding populations. This may be a consequence of relatively high gene flow facilitated by overlapping summer feeding areas in Antarctic waters. For many marine species, ecological and environmental

discontinuities such as ocean currents, changes in bathymetry and ocean temperature are increasingly being identified as cryptic barriers to gene flow and dispersal (Kaschner et al. 2006, Knutsen et al. 2009, Unal and Bucklin 2010, Mikkelsen 2011, Shen et al. 2011). The influence of social and learned behaviors that may also establish or reinforce population boundaries are less understood. Such factors may be highly relevant to cetacean species that exhibit complex communication and social behaviors and where migratory behavior is thought to be learned through social inheritance from the mother to the calf (Clapham 1996, Hauser et al. 2007). Therefore, despite their high vagility, cetaceans

may exhibit highly structured populations primarily driven by nonphysical barriers (Hoelzel 1998). Like other balaenopterid species, humpback whales undertake long-distance seasonal migrations between low latitude winter breeding learn more and calving grounds and high latitude summer feeding grounds (Fig. 1; Mackintosh 1965). These whales also exhibit a large range of social and sexual behaviors, have strong maternal fidelity, and are renowned for

their repertoire of complex culturally acquired “songs” and calls (Clapham 1996, Noad et al. 2000, Valsecchi et al. 2002, Smith et al. 2008). Historically, humpback whale populations have been defined based on the distribution of calving areas and migratory routes and these populations have been treated as management units in the apportionment of catch quotas for commercial whaling (Kellogg 1929, Chittleborough 1965, Mackintosh 1965, Dawbin 1966). More recently, because demographic studies are difficult to undertake, genetic find more analysis of mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear markers has been applied to gain insights on population structure, dispersal and mating systems. In the Northern Hemisphere, humpback whale populations are geographically separated by the American and Asia–European continents (Baker et al. 1986; Palsbøll et al. 1995; Calambokidis et al. 1996; Clapham 1996; Palsbøll et al. 1997a; Clapham et al. 1999; Calambokidis et al. 2001, 2008) and within each ocean basin, individuals from common breeding grounds can show strong fidelity to different discrete foraging areas (Calambokidis et al. 2001, Stevick et al. 2006).

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