Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) polymorphism-based analysis of diversity in the freshwater turtle genus Pangshura

Assessment of genetic variability among the freshwater turtles is critical to the development of effective conservation strategies. In the present study, analysis of phenetic relationship of the genus Pangshura was studied using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers to see the concordance of currently available morphological data with genetic data along with spatial pattern of distribution. Ten microsatellite-based primers amplified 156 ISSR markers among 36 individuals belonging to four turtle species Pangshura sylhetensis, Pangshura tecta, Pangshura simithii and Pangshura tentoria , collected from certain localities of Assam, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh of India. Estimations of Nei’s genetic diversity (h), Shannon’s Index (I) and Total genetic diversity (Ht) reveal the existence of greater genetic diversity in P. tentoria and P. sylhetensis than in the other two species. However, low values of gene flow (Nm) and of within sample diversity (Hs) indicate prevalence of inbreeding in these species groups. The coefficients of differentiation (GST) values divulge that divergence started in the Pangshura species. Projections on the principal components analysis (PCA) plot reflect the distinct genetic identity of these four species. The consensus Neighbour Joining dendogram depicts P. sylhetensis, P. tecta , and P. tentoria as genetically closer to each other than to P. smithii . Keywords : Differentiation, genetic diversity, inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR), Pangshura , turtle African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(3), pp. 238-248