PCR analysis generated on the genetic data showed that the geographic hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus) population from Korea in the Yellow Sea was more or less separated from geographic hairtail population from China in the South Sea. The average bandsharing value (mean±SD) within hairtail population from Korea showed 0.859±0.031, whereas 0.752±0.039 within population from China. Also, bandsharing values between two hairtail populations ranged from 0.470 to 0.611, with an average of 0.542±0.059. As compared separately, the bandsharing values of individuals within hairtail population from Korea were comparatively higher than those of individuals within population from China. The hierarchical dendrogram resulted from reliable oligonucleotides primers, indicating two genetic clusters composed of cluster 1 (KOREANHAIR1~KOREANHAIR11) and cluster 2 (CHINESEHAI12~CHINESEHAI22). The genetic distances between two geographic populations ranged from 0.038 to 0.476. Individual No. 11 within hairtail population from Korea was genetically closely related with No. 10 (genetic distance=0.038). The longest genetic distance (0.476) displaying significant molecular difference was also between individual No. 01 within hairtail population from Korea and No. 22 from Chinese. In the present study, PCR analysis has revealed significant genetic distances between two hairtail population pairs (P<0.05).

• Jong-Man Yoon(Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, College of Ocean Science and Technology, Kunsan National University) Corresponding Author