A simple method for species identification of the ghost crabs using PCR-RFLP

Ghost crabs (genus Ocypode spp.) found on sandy beaches are susceptible with the loss of an ecotone, making them useful as indicators anthropogenic alteration, such seawall construction. On Sendai Bay Pacific coast Tohoku region northern Japan, three species have been sympatrically observed in recent years: O. stimpsoni, ceratophthalmus, and sinensis. However, these only occur from late summer to autumn, immediately after new recruitment. Since they all juveniles at that period, it is difficult identify by morphological characteristics. Thus, we developed a method for identifying species. By using two restriction enzymes AciI BfaI, can perform polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis 12S-rRNA mitochondrial DNA. As result, our PCR-RFLP able Therefore, this will be helpful tool understanding population dynamics evaluating beach ecosystem cases where but identification features difficult.