Abstract

A fragment of the mtCOI gene was successfully PCR-amplified from two species (Oncaea venusta and Oncaea media; Family Oncaeidae; Cyclopoida) (534 to 640 base pairs) which represents the first molecular data. Objectives of this pioneering study were to derive their preliminary molecular phylogeny of based on mitochondrial (mtCOI) sequences; test if morpho-species are supported by molecular data. Reconstructed phylogeny postulated the Polyphyly of the genus Oncaea and paraphyly of its closely related genus Dioithona; Concluded the allopatric speciation and extended sovereign evolutionary history of O. venusta typica and O. venusta; Hypothesized the convergent evolution and homoplastic condition of the character (the absence of aberrant spine number in the distal segment of P1 endopod) in O. venusta; Re-confirmed the subspecies status of O. venusta typica to O. venusta through molecular study ; Hypothesized to retain the current genetic status of Oncaea sp. 7, O. parabathyalis, O. shmelevi and O. prendeli ; Recommended a detailed imminent morpho-molecular evaluation about the position of O. curta as the interspecific divergence values between O. waldemari and O. curta was found to be 2%

Keywords

Lakshadweep, minicoy, oncaeidae, barcoding, Indian Ocean