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The diversity and distribution of mtDNA haplotypes in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) from 13 river systems across the species' European range was investigated. Salmon were screened by agarose electrophoresis for variation in a 1400 base pair fragment spanning the ND-1 and 16SrRNA genes. The fragment was amplified by PCR and digested using the restriction endonucleases Avail, Dral, Haelll, Hinfl and Rsal. Nine haplotypes were identified and resolved by parsimony analysis into two major clades. Clade I was ubiquitous and predominated in all samples while Clade II was restricted to eight out of 94 individuals in two of the 13 rivers. The first clade shows two sublineages whose frequency distribution is strongly associated with geography. One sublineage dominated in river systems draining into the Baltic sea and in Iceland, and the other in the river systems elsewhere in Europe. No geographical …