Genetic variation of sand crab Albunea symmysta (Crustacea: Albuneidae) from Enggano Island and adjacent region

Abstract

The sand crab Albunea symmysta is widespread in the Pacific, including Indonesia. Its lifestyle of burying its body in the sand in the intertidal area near to the river estuaries means that this albuneid crab is rarely found and studied. This research aimed to elucidate the genetic diversity of albuneid crab in the intertidal area of Enggano Island, which is characterized by calcaerous sand based on DNA barcoding of the CO1 gene. We conducted DNA sequencing of the CO1 gene of A. symmysta samples caught in Enggano (n=14), North Bengkulu (n=11), And South Bengkulu (n=6). All DNA sequence data were combined with data obtained from previous studies (n=36) and Albunea spp (n=18, four species). The result showed that in Enggano, two species of albuneid crab, namely A. symmysta and Albunea sp1 (NJ genetic distance 17.3%), were determined. The genetic distance of A. symmysta Enggano to several other albuneid crab species (Albunea sp2, Albunea sp3, Albunea sp4) ranges from 14.9% to 20.2%. A. symmysta Enggano is closest to different locations, ranging from 0.2% to 6.6%. We found six haplotypes in Enggano out of 26 haplotypes in Indonesia. DNA barcoding revealed the existence of a cryptic species of albuneid crab in Enggano and another region in Indonesia. That way, we have to work more to determine the species of albuneid crab other than A. symmysta which was found in Enggano (n=2).