Diversity of zooplankton in four perennial lakes of Coimbatore (India) and molecular characterization of Asplanchna intermedia, Moina micrura, Mesocyclops edax and Cypris protubera through mt-COI gene

Abstract

The distribution, diversity and population density of zooplankton species in four perennial lakes of Coimbatore city (Singanallur, Ukkadam, Sulur and Muthanan) were analyzed, and Asplanchna intermedia (Rotifera), Moina micrura (Cladocera), Mesocyclops edax (Copepoda) and Cypris protubera (Ostracoda) were discriminate by DNA bar coding. A total of 17 zooplankton species belonging to 13 generarnwith different population density were identified (Singanallur: 12 species and 1214 individuals L-1; Ukkadam: 12 species and 995 individuals L-1; Sulur: 12 species and 998 individuals L-1; Muthanan: 10 species and 905 individuals L-1). The genomic DNA was amplified with a set of universal primers (LCO1490 & HCO2198) for mt-COI gene, which revealed ~650 bp in each species, and the sequences showed 75-94% similarity with NCBI data base. The phylogenetic information revealed that these four zooplankton species are genetically distinct, conserved and less subjected to evolutionary forces. However, they are closely related and might have originated from a common ancestor.