Variability in DNA COI sequences reveals new haplotypes in freshwater turtles from northern region of India

Abstract

The chelonian represents a diverse order of turtles. Little is known about this group from India at molecular level. Cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) sequences of 125 individuals from nine species of freshwater turtles were generated and analyzed. A total of 118 nucleotide positions in COI gene as character-based DNA barcodes for each species were identified. Neighbour-joining (NJ) analyses tree well differentiated freshwater hard shell and softshell turtle. Overall species divergence (K2P) was 13.3%. Analysis of COI sequences from present study, combined with sequences downloaded from NCBI GenBank, revealed new COI haplotypes from Northern region of India.