Abstract: 【Aim】 Velarifictorus micado has two types of diapause, egg diapause and nymphal diapause, which are sympatrically distributed in the Yangtze River basin. The objective of this study is to explore the genetic differentiation of V. micado populations between different diapause types sympatrically distributed in Zhejiang Province of eastern China. 【Methods】Microsatellite loci with high polymorphism were screened with materials of 134 individuals of six populations of V. micado with different diapause types from three areas, Baishanzu, Dapanshan and Tiantongshan, in Zhejiang Province, and the population genetic analysis of the 134 individuals of six populations of V. micado was performed using the screened microsatellite loci.【Results】 Eleven microsatellite loci with high polymorphism were obtained. For all populations, the mean number of alleles was 13.803, and the mean observed heterozygosity was 0.743. The observed heterozygosity of egg diapause populations from Baishanzu was the lowest, indicating the largest genetic differentiation with other populations. Besides, the gene flow between egg diapause populations from Baishanzu and the other populations was low, while the other populations showed higher levels of gene flow. 【Conclusion】 There is low degree of genetic differentiation and high level of gene flow among different populations of V. micado with different diapause types in Zhejiang, showing no trend of species differentiation.

Key words: Velarifictorus micado, diapause type, microsatellite, population genetics, gene flow, genetic diversity