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Revised Phylogeny of Extant Xiphosurans (Horseshoe Crabs)

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Book cover DNA Barcoding in Marine Perspectives

Abstract

An attempt was made to revise the molecular phylogeny of extant xiphosurans (Horseshoe crabs) using universal barcode gene cytochrome oxidase C subunit 1. All four extant horseshoe crab species namely Limulus polyphemus (American horseshoe crab), Tachypleus gigas, T. tridentatus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda (Asian conspecifics) together with predicted ancestral lineages (insects, scorpions and common crabs) were considered for phylogram construction using distance matrix methods. Genetic distance (GD) data analysis revealed the distant genetic relatedness of L. polyphemus with Asian conspecifics. More interestingly, the monophyletic origin of Tachypleus gigas and Tachypleus tridentatus was quite evident in the phylogram which other molecular markers failed to address. Close genetic relatedness of horseshoe crabs with insects showed that they might have evolved from ancient aquatic insects. The efficiency of cytochrome oxydase C subunit 1 gene in species level identification among the horseshoe crab genome was clear in both the phylogram together with the precise identification of the differential developmental stages to the species level.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INOCEM Research Station (IRS), Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia

    B. Akbar John & K. Zaleha

  2. Department of Biotechnology, Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Malaysia

    Hassan I. Sheikh

  3. Department of Marine Science, Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Malaysia

    K. C. A. Jalal & B. Y. Kamaruzzaman

Authors
  1. B. Akbar John
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  2. Hassan I. Sheikh
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  3. K. C. A. Jalal
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  4. K. Zaleha
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  5. B. Y. Kamaruzzaman
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Correspondence to B. Akbar John .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sci., University of Tabuk Department of Biology, Faculty of Sci., Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

    Subrata Trivedi

  2. University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

    Abid Ali Ansari

  3. Department of Biotechnology, Assam University Department of Biotechnology, Assam, India

    Sankar K. Ghosh

  4. Department of Biology, University of Tabuk Faculty of Science, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

    Hasibur Rehman

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Akbar John, B., Sheikh, H.I., Jalal, K.C.A., Zaleha, K., Kamaruzzaman, B.Y. (2016). Revised Phylogeny of Extant Xiphosurans (Horseshoe Crabs). In: Trivedi, S., Ansari, A., Ghosh, S., Rehman, H. (eds) DNA Barcoding in Marine Perspectives. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41840-7_7

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