Identification of European species of Maja (Decapoda: Brachyura: Majidae): RFLP analyses of COI mtDNA and morphological considerations
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Publication date
2011-03-30ISSN
0214-8358
Abstract
Four species of crabs of the genus Maja have been described along the European coast: M. brachydactyla, M.
squinado, M. goltziana and M. crispata. The commercially important species M. brachydactyla and M. squinado achieve
the largest body sizes and are the most similar in morphology, and are therefore easily confused. The four species of Maja
were identified using a novel morphometric index and a polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length
polymorphism analysis (RFLP). The relationship between carapace length and the distance between the tips of antorbital
spines was used to distinguish adults of M. brachydactyla and M. squinado. PCR-RFLP analysis of a partial sequence of
the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase type I (COI) revealed that the four species of the genus Maja can be unambiguously
discriminated using the combination of restriction endonucleases enzymes HpyCH4V and Ase I. The molecular identification may be particularly useful in larvae, juvenile and young crabs, when the morphological differences found in adults are
not applicable.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Published version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
639 - Hunting. Fishing. Fish breeding
Pages
6
Publisher
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
Is part of
Scientia Marina
Citation
Guerao, Guillermo, Karl B. Andree, Carlo Froglia, Carles G. Simeó, and Guiomar Rotllant. 2011. “Identification of European Species of Maja (Decapoda: Brachyura: Majidae): RFLP Analyses of COI mtDNA and Morphological Considerations.” Scientia Marina 75 (1): 129–134. doi: 10.3989/scimar.2011.75n1129
Grant agreement number
MAPAMA/JACUMAR/ /ES/PROPUESTAS Y MEJORAS PARA EL DISEÑO Y CONTROL DE LOS PLANES DE REPOBLACIÓN Y EVALUACIÓN DEL IMPACTO DE LOS ESCAPES/REPES
Program
Aqüicultura
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- ARTICLES CIENTÍFICS [2622]
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