Meeting Abstract

P1.206  Saturday, Jan. 4 15:30  Evaluation of intra- and interspecific variation within the deep-sea polar sea anemone genus Actinostola (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Actiniaria) using morphology and novel nuclear DNA markers LARA , A*; BRUGLER , MR; RODRíGUEZ, E; Richard Gilder Graduate School Alr1129@hotmail.com

Sea anemones (Actiniaria) are a group of relatively simple animals that display great anatomical and life history diversity. Despite their simplicity sea anemones are a very successful group, having adapted to – and thus occupying – all marine environments. Traditionally, the taxonomy of sea anemones has been based on the internal anatomy of the polyp and cnidae, both of which require histological analysis and intense optical microscopy examination and quantification. Recently, molecular data has been utilized to elucidate phylogenetic relationships among sea anemones; however, low variability of mitochondrial DNA markers – along with the lack of suitably variable nuclear DNA markers – within the group hinders the ability to differentiate species. Thus, our goal was to locate and test several variable, single-copy nuclear DNA markers to facilitate species-level identification of sea anemones. We targeted seven nuclear introns using EPIC (exon-priming, intron-crossing) primers. The PCR products of all nuclear introns were cloned to determine copy number. The data obtained revealed upwards of 5 different copies of a given intron within a single individual; nonetheless, some introns were indeed single copy. The results of these new markers as applied to an intra- and interspecific analysis of Actinostola will be discussed.