In silico analysis of mt 16S rRNA sequences of ocypodid crabs

The family Ocypodidae comprises of four sub-families Dotillinae, Heloeciinae, Macrophthalminae and Ocypodinae. Ocypodidae mt 16S rRNA sequences were analysed for studying the conserved regions and phylogeny. Conserved regions will be helpful in molecular identification at the sub-family level and in interpretation of the species relationships in a better way. In the current phylogeny, the Ocypodidae family exhibits different lineages, indicating the family is polyphyletic along with its sub-families Dotillinae and Ocypodinae. The genera Ilyoplax of Dotillinae, with three different lineages, and the Uca genera of Ocypodinae, with four different lineages, exhibit polyphyly. Ocypode and Uca show a close relationship within the sub-family Ocypodinae.