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DNA barcoding reveals Mexican diversity within the freshwater leech genus Helobdella (Annelida: Glossiphoniidae)
Alejandro Oceguera-Figueroa1, Virginia León-Règagnon, Mark E Siddall
1Department of Biology, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York, NY, USA. aoceguera@amnh.org
Abstract:
We investigated the genetic distances and taxonomic status among species of Helobdella, a genus of non-blood-feeding leeches, based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences. Sampling included 20 specimens representing nine nominal species collected in 11 states in Mexico as well as previously published sequences of different species of Helobdella from several places. A neighbor-joining tree, as well as identification of diagnostic nucleotides, was used to suggest the presence of seven species of Helobdella in Mexico including potentially two undescribed forms.
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