Phylogenetic studies in Indian scleractinian corals based on mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences.

Phylogenetic relationships within and among three genera of the family Acroporidae, namely Acropora, Montipora and Astreopora were examined based on mitochondrial cytochrome b (690 bp) gene sequences with special emphasis on Indian scleractinian corals. Analyses using mitochondrial DNA sequences highlight the usefulness of a molecular approach for examining the phylogenetics, evolution and diversity of corals. The analysis based on various algorithms, including neighbour joining and maximum parsimony along with network analysis clearly establishes the monophyly of Acropora and Montipora. The average number of pairwise differences within the three genera revealed maximum intragenus variability in Acropora, followed by Montipora and Astreopora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]