Molecular phylogenetic relationship of Thiaridean genus Tarebia lineate (Gastropoda: Cerithioidea) as determined by partial COI sequences

Abstract

An attempt was made to investigate phylogenetic affinities of the genus Tarebia lineata sampled from the Indian subcontinent using partial mitochondrial COI gene sequence. The amplified partial mt-COI gene sequence using universal primers, LCO1490 and HCO2198 resulted into ~700 base pair DNA fragment. The obtained nucleotide sequence of partial COI gene of T. lineata was submitted to BLAST analysis and 36 close relative sequences of the chosen genera, Cerithioidea were derived. Maximum likelihood (ML) algorithm in-biuilt in RAxML software tool was used to estimate phylogenetic their affinities. The present analysis revealed that a single assemblage of the family Thiaridae supported by a bootstrap value of 96% is earmarked at the base of the derived cladogram as a cluster and emerged as a sister group with another four Cerithioideans. Our dataset brought add-on value to the current taxonomy of Thiaridae of the clade Sorbeconcha by clustering them as sister and non-sister groups indicating the virtual relations. Out of seven genera, Tarebia and Melanoides formed as primary and secondary clusters within the Thiaridae. The monophyly of Thiaridae and its conspecifics were depicted in the cladogram.