DNA barcoding of five benthic invertebrate taxa from the Mackellar Cove of the Antarctic Peninsula

Abstract

The Antarctic ecosystem presents benthic organisms with unique spatial and demographic distribution and exceptional adaptations to extreme conditions; however, the genetic diversity it hosts is little known. In order to characterize the molecular diversity of 25 benthic invertebrates collected in the Mackellar Cove during the Peruvian expedition ANTAR XXIV-2017, we analyzed nucleotide sequences obtained from the mitochondrial genes COI, ARNr 16S, and nuclear ARNr 18S and 28S (for molluscs). A morphological description of the 5 taxa between molluscs, bryozoans, polychaetes and crustaceans was made. The nucleotide sequences were recorded in open access databases (BOLD and GenBank) as Margarella antarctica (A1-A5), Nacella concinna (A11-A15), Nematoflustra flagellata (A16-A20), Amphitrite kerguelensis (A21-A25) and Euphausia superba (A26-A30).