title: Phylogeny of Symbiodinium populations in zoantharians of the northern Persian Gulf.
abstract: Zoantharians of the Persian Gulf (PG) experience periods of anomalous high temperature, irradiance and desiccation. Their survival largely relies on the symbiotic relationship with single celled dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium. However, the phylogeny of symbionts of zoantharians has not been investigated in the region. In this study, the second internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA (ITS2) was used to recognize in hospite populations of Symbiodinium in Palythoa aff. mutuki, Palythoa tuberculosa and Zoanthus sansibaricus colonies from Hengam, Kish, Larak, and Qeshm Islands, in the PG. The results showed subclade D1-4 and a variant of A1, were the most prevalent subclades of Symbiodinium. Predominance of stress tolerant subclade D1-4 and putatively radiation tolerant variant of A1 of Symbiodinium in zoantharian species might suggest an adaptation strategy to the extreme physical environment of the PG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hesarak, Tehran 1477893855, Iran. Electronic address: atoosa.noori.koupaei@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Atoosa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noori Koupaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hesarak, Tehran 1477893855, Iran. Electronic address: hamed_dehghani86@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dehghani
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hesarak, Tehran 1477893855, Iran. Electronic address: mostafavi_pa@srbiau.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Pargol Ghavam
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Mostafavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hesarak, Tehran 1477893855, Iran. Electronic address: a.qatanchi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Amirhossein Gheitanchi
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Mashini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D004141:Dinoflagellida / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019156:Indian Ocean; D010802:Phylogeny; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000502:physiology; D012621:Seasons; D013559:Symbiosis
chemical_list: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal
keywords: ITS2; Palythoa aff. mutuki; Palythoa tuberculosa; Symbiodinium; Zoantharian; Zoanthus sansibaricus