| Summary: | <i>Nerita yoldii</i> is a euryhaline species commonly found in the intertidal zone. To investigate the genetic diversity of 233 <i>N. yoldii</i> individuals from eight locations along the coast of China, we utilized the mitochondrial <i>COI</i> gene as a molecular marker. A total of 34 haplotypes were detected, exhibiting a mean haplotype diversity (<i>Hd</i>) of 0.5915 and a mean nucleotide diversity (<i>Pi</i>) of 0.0025, indicating high levels of genetic diversity among all populations. An analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that the primary source of genetic variation occurs within populations. In addition, neutral tests and mismatch analyses suggested that <i>N. yoldii</i> populations may have experienced bottleneck events. Moderate genetic differentiation was observed between Xiapu and other populations, excluding the Taizhou population, and may be attributed to the ocean currents. Intensively studying the genetic variation and population structure of <i>N. yoldii</i> populations contributes to understanding the current population genetics of <i>N. yoldii</i> in the coastal regions of China. This not only provides a reference for the study of other organisms in the same region but also lays the foundation for the systematic evolution of the Neritidae family.
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