Integrative Identification of Melanoides tuberculata from Jalgaon, Maharashtra India Using DNA Barcoding
Abstract
Accurate identification of freshwater gastropods is often challenging due to morphological plasticity and the presence of cryptic species. The present study employs an integrative approach combining morphological analysis and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene-based DNA barcoding to identify a freshwater gastropod from Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India. Morphological examination revealed diagnostic shell features consistent with Melanoides tuberculata. Molecular analysis of a ~600 bp COI fragment followed by BLASTn search showed high similarity with M. tuberculata, with the closest match (OR594407.1) exhibiting 99.84% identity and complete query coverage. Phylogenetic analysis using the Neighbor-Joining method (Kimura 2-parameter model) placed the sequence within a well-supported M. tuberculata clade, forming a monophyletic group with reference sequences. Genetic distance analysis indicated low intraspecific divergence and clear distinction from related taxa. The findings confirm the identity of the specimen as M. tuberculata and demonstrate the reliability of COI-based barcoding in gastropod taxonomy. The generated sequence contributes valuable regional molecular data and supports future studies in biodiversity, phylogeny, and ecological monitoring.
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