Probing the phylogenetic relationships of a few newly recorded intertidal zoanthids of Gujarat coast (India) with mtDNA COI sequences

Abstract

The present study reports the phylogenetic relationship of six zoanthid species belonging to three genera, Isaurus, Palythoa, and Zoanthus identified using systematic computational analysis of mtDNA gene sequences. All six species are first recorded from the coasts of Kathiawar Peninsula, India. Genus: Isaurus is represented by Isaurus tuberculatus, genus Zoanthus is represented by Zoanthus kuroshio and Zoanthus sansibaricus, while genus Palythoa is represented by Palythoa tuberculosa, P. sp. JVK-2006 and Palythoa heliodiscus. Results of the present study revealed that among the various species observed along the coastline, a minimum of 99% sequence divergence and a maximum of 96% sequence divergence were seen. An interspecific divergence of 1–4% and negligible intraspecific divergence was observed. These results not only highlighted the efficiency of the COI gene region in species identification but also demonstrated the genetic variability of zoanthids along the Saurashtra coastline of the west coast of India.

Keywords:

• Genetic variability
• India
• molecular phylogeny
• mtDNA COI
• zoanthids

Acknowledgements

Various government and non-government organizations of the Gujarat State, India, are thankfully acknowledged for their help during the coastal surveys.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. Authors are thankful to University Grants Commission (UGC), Govt. of India, New Delhi, for supporting this study through its Centre of Advanced Studies (CAS) Phase-I programme. UGC, Govt. of India, New Delhi, is also thankfully acknowledged for a Meritorious Research Fellowship awarded to one of the authors (P. P.).