Molecular insights into the phylogenetics of spiny lobsters of Gulf of Mannar marine biosphere reserve<i> </i>based on 28S rDNA

Abstract

Four spiny lobster species, <i>Panulirus versicolor, P. ornatus, P. homarus</i> and<i> P. polyphagus</i>, and a mud lobster <i>Thenus orientalis</i> were collected from the Gulf of Mannar marine biosphere reserve. Partial 28S rRNA gene sequences of the spiny lobsters were examined for their nucleotide diversity, pairwise genetic distances, transition/transversion rate and phylogenetic relationships. The spiny lobster species recorded higher transition over transversion; GC content was also higher as reported in many groups of animals. Pair-wise genetic distance analysis shows that all the spiny lobsters were distinctly distant from the outgroup species and had minimum distance among the ingroup species. A molecular phylogeny based on 28S rDNA D2 sequences indicates that the four species of <i>Panulirus</i> form a monophyletic group.