Characterization of spiny lobsters from Bangladesh waters using morphology, COI and 16S rRNA sequences

This study aims to taxonomically identify and characterise the phylogenetic relationships of spiny lobsters based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and 16S rRNA genes from Bangladesh waters. A total of 19 barcode sequences (10 partial COI sequences and 9 partial 16S rRNA) were successfully generated from 12 collected spiny lobster samples representing four species belonging to the family Palinuridae. The average genetic distances within and between species were 0.834 ± 0.427 and 17.810 ± 0.830, respectively, in COI and 0.107 ± 0.255 and 8.401 ± 2.547, respectively, in 16S rRNA genes. The successful amplification rate of 16S rRNA was higher than that of the COI marker. In the maximum likelihood (ML) tree, the sequences of the same species were clustered together under a single clade for both COI and 16S rRNA, which supports the efficacy of both marker genes in differentiating lobster species.