Meeting Abstract

P1.19  Friday, Jan. 4  Morphological and molecular investigation of species in the family Leptocheliidae (Crustacea: Peracarida: Tanaidacea) from the Northeastern Pacific Ocean BEAUCHAMP, K. A.*; CADIEN, D. B.; DUGGAN, R. M.; PILGRIM, E. M.; City of San Diego ; County Sanitation District of Los Angeles County; City and County of San Francisco Department of Water, Power and Sewer; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency kbeauchamp@sandiego.gov

Crustaceans of the order Tanaidacea are abundant in soft bottom habitats in the Northeastern Pacific and measures of species diversity within this group are ecologically significant to ocean monitoring programs. Identification of species within the family Leptocheliidae is problematic due to their small size (1-3mm) and unresolved species concepts. For example, although <1>Leptochelia dubia1> has been identified worldwide the cosmopolitan distribution of this species is questionable. Specimens identified as <1>L. dubia1> are common in our samples along the California coast, however, limitations of current taxonomy only allow classification to a species complex level that may include several different species. In this study, we use a combination of traditional taxonomic procedures and molecular techniques to explore the systematic relationships of species in the genus <1>Leptochelia1> and related taxa. Specimens of <1>L. dubia1> Cmplx were collected at three sites: San Francisco Bay, Los Angeles Harbor and offshore of San Diego. Key morphological characters were analyzed for each individual using light and scanning microscopy. Phylogenetic analyses using the mitochondrial COI gene on the morphologically identified specimens are underway and will be compared with GenBank sequences of <1>Leptochelia1> species and other taxa in the family Leptocheliidae. In the future, we plan to add the nuclear histone 3 gene to the molecular analyses and include specimens from additional sites along the Northeastern Pacific and other geographic regions.