Molecular markers reveal only two mud crab species of genus Scylla (Brachyura: Portunidae) in Indian coastal waters.
The taxonomic ambiguity of the Indian mud crab (genus Scylla de Hann 1833) is still a cause of concern as several papers have been published with misleading identification. This is the first attempt to resolve the taxonomic uncertainty of the mud crab commonly available in Indian coastal waters using molecular genetic markers (ITS-1 and sequencing of COI gene) combined with traditional morphometry. Additionally, we developed a PCR method by which Indian mud crab species can be identified rapidly and effectively. The results clearly indicate that the green morph of the Indian mud crab is Scylla serrata and the brown morph is S. olivacea. The S. serrata commonly mentioned in the literature from India is S. olivacea; the S. tranquebarica noted by many Indian researchers should belong to S. serrata. Caution should be taken when interpreting or implementing the biological, molecular, and aquaculture data in the literature.
Central Genetics Laboratory, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture, 3/197, Poompuhar Road, Karaimedu Village, Sattanathapuram P.O., Sirkali, Nagapattinam, 609 109, Tamil Nadu, India, rgcacgl@gmail.com.
Anup
A
Mandal
Mathews
M
Varkey
Sobha Pindaniyil
SP
Sobhanan
Anjali Kottayil
AK
Mani
Achamveetil
A
Gopalakrishnan
Ganesh
G
Kumaran
Arulraj
A
Sethuramalingam
Pandiarajan
P
Srinivasan
Yohannan Chellema Thampi
YC
Samraj
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003386:Brachyura / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D005819:Genetic Markers; D007194:India; D019156:Indian Ocean; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013045:Species Specificity
D005819:Genetic Markers