DNA barcoding of selected cephalopods from Indian coast

Abstract

Biodiversity characterization is essential for sustainable utilization of resources and to define biological entities for conservation. India is blessed with rich biodiversity but few species have been formally documented till now. DNA barcoding, i.e. the use of 655bp region of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene was adopted as a global bio-identification system for animals in recent years. In this study, 14 individuals of Cephalopods comprising 5 species, 3 orders and 3 families were barcoded. The average genetic distance within species, genus, family and order was 0.002, 0.106, 0.171, and 0.208, respectively. In addition to barcode-based species identification system, allopatric divergence values among different geographically distant populations.