Phylogenetic analysis of the Genus Coeliccia (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platycnemididae) using Mitochondrial 16S rRNA Gene
*Gurinder Kaur Walia1 and Neeraj2
1,2Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala -147002 (India) *Corresponding author: gurinderkaur_walia@yahoo.co.in
ABSTRACT
Order Odonata includes one of the ancient groups of insects and is divided into three suborders, Zygoptera, Anisozygoptera and Anisoptera. Suborder Zygoptera consists of 4 superfamilies: Coenagrionoidea, Calopterygoidea, Platysticoidea and Lestoidea. Superfamily Coenagrionoidea includes families Platycnemididae and Coenagrionidae. Family Platycnemididae holds 43 genera with 455 species worldwide, while 14 genera including 52 species are present in India. The 16S rRNA gene is 1368-1374 bp in length and is used in constructing phylogenies. Presently, phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene of Coeliccia bimaculata, Coeliccia chromothorax, Coeliccia fraseri and Coeliccia renifera with 9 conspecific sequences of genus retrieved from GenBank and Calicnemia chaseni as outgroup of family Platycnemididae has been conducted using Neighbour-joining method. Interspecific divergence ranges from 4.4% to 10%. Presently studied species are placed in one group and are more closely related to each other than to other species in the tree. Coeliccia fraseri and Coeliccia bimaculata are placed on one node and Coeliccia renifera and Coeliccia chromothorax are on another node. Coeliccia didyma is distantly related to the other species of genus.