LE3 .A278 2008

2008

Snyder, Marlene

Acadia University

Bachelor of Science

Honours

Biology

Biology

The taxonomy of the family Pectinidae has been called in question due to recent molecular evidence coming to light. The mitochondrial genomes of many molluscs are unusual and defy many of the conventions thought normal of animal mtDNA. The genes found in the mitochondria, including the LSU and SSU rRNA genes, are readily used for deriving potential phylogenetic relationships. Individual gene amplification was done using PCR and whole genome amplification was attempted using long accurate PCR. The gene order of 12S-Nad1 was found, possibly with trnS in between these two genes. The sequences obtained were used to create phylogenies of the LSU and SSU rRNA for the family Pectinidae and protein coding genes (COI, CytB, Nad1, Nad3, Nad4, and Atp6) were used to create phylogenies for the class Bivalvia. Chlamys islandica is found to be closely related to Mizuhopecten yessenosis in the Pectinidae phylogenies. The genus of Chlamys, like most other genera in the family Pectinidae, is not monophyletic but is polyphyletic. In most of the bivalve phylogenies Chlamys islandica also groups with Mizuhopecten yessenosis and the family Pectinidae is monophyletic. The phylogeny based on Atp6 gives anomalous results compared to the other phylogenies. The pseudogene for the COI also does not agree but the actual gene does agree with the monophyly of Pectinidae and the close relatedness of Mizuhopecten yessenosis and Chlamys islandica.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:529