Unlocking the history of a trans-­Atlantic invader: Did the human slave trade impact Brown mussel dispersal?

Abstract

Brown mussels exhibit a trans-­Atlantic distribution putatively caused by either na- tive dispersal or artificial gene flow, likely in concert with the transport of enslaved people from Africa. Evolutionary history and demographic models of this widespread species may clarify how the present-­day distribution was impacted by natural versus artificial dispersal. Particularly, dating the timing of the South American/African split may determine whether the human slave trade likely impacted the contemporary distribution of brown mussels.