Molecular taxonomic study of Korean pilumnoids and xanthoids using DNA barcording.

Abstract

The members of two superfamilies, Pilumnoidea and Xanthoidea, show very similar appearances. This study targeted the crabs belonging to Pilumnoidea and Xanthoidea from Korea to test the validity of DNA barcoding for these species identification the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was chosen as genetic maker for DNA barcoding and analyzed on the basis of sequence divergence. The mtCOI sequences from 26 species of the Korean pilumnoids and xanthoids were obtained, and examined by DNA barcoding method. The some suspected cryptic species or misidentified specimens were discovered, and then molecular taxonomic relationship among them was inferred by Baysian inferences and Maximum likelihood. According to Baysian inferences tree, a significant taxonomic relationship was found as follows: 1) Neoliomera insularis (Adams & White, 1849) would be questioned their taxonomic status, 2) Based on the relationship between Leptodius nigromaculatus Ser&egrave ne, 1962 and L. affinis (De Haan, 1835), the two species were the same species, 3) Actaea bocki (Odhner, 1925) would be considered to examined their taxonomic status, 4) Korean Medaeops granulosus (Haswell, 1882) would be not real M. granulosus or a cryptic species.tion the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was chosen as genetic maker for DNA barcoding and analyzed on the basis of sequence divergence. The mtCOI sequences from 26 species of the Korean pilumnoids and xanthoids were obtained, and examined by DNA barcoding method. The some suspected cryptic species or misidentified specimens were discovered, and then molecular taxonomic relationship among them was inferred by Baysian inferences and Maximum likelihood. According to Baysian inferences tree, a significant taxonomic relationship was found as follows: 1) Neoliomera insularis (Adams & White, 1849) would be questioned their taxonomic status, 2) Based on the relationship between Leptodius nigromaculatus Ser&egrave ne, 1962 and L. affinis (De Haan, 1835), the two species were the same species, 3) Actaea bocki (Odhner, 1925) would be considered to examined their taxonomic status, 4) Korean Medaeops granulosus (Haswell, 1882) would be not real M. granulosus or a cryptic species.