Proposed taxonomic revision for the Indo-Pacific Turrinae (Turris annulata, Reeve 1843) based on 12S and 16S rRNA gene sequence

• Main Authors: Bulan, Joy Charisse O., Heralde, Francisco M., III, Duque, Richelle C., Ignacio, Cherry Mae G., Javellana, Noel Francis B., Rocamora, Frances Maureen C., Diaz, Ma. Aiko Angela A., Cantalejo, Ma. Angela Clarissa D.R., Monje, Virginia D.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2007
• Subjects: Turridae—Classification; Biology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/6861
• Institution: De La Salle University

Turris annulata is a venomous gastropod under the subfamily Turrinae. It is a species of interest based on the unique features of its shell that differ from the other members of the group, hence its placement in Clade III of the genus Turris, the Annulaturris clade (Olivera 1999). Although based on some morphological criteria, the possibility that T. annulata could not e a member of genus Turris but rather possibly of genus Gemmula or the transitional group between Gemmula and Turris was suggested. Here we provide proof based on the portion of 12S and 16S rRNA gene that T. annulata does not belong to the Turris and instead clusters with the newly proposed clade formerly under the gens Lophiotoma, now we called Unedogemmula. Using body tissues from alcohol preserved specimen of T. annulata obtained from Aligway Island, Dipolog, genomic DNA extract was obtained and amplified for 12S and 16S rDNA using gene specific primers to generate a 540-600 bp PCR product. The amplicon was ligated into pNEB using the USER cloning kit, introduced into E. coli, and each of the plasmids from selected transformats was sequenced through ABI sequencer. The bootstrap analysis (i.e., using MEGA) for 10,000 replications shows the branching of T. annulata to be strongly supported (>50%) and clusters with Unedogemmula bisaya, U. tayabanensis and U. panglonensi. Hence, from these molecular data, we propose T. annulata to be reclassified and its name be changed to Unedogemmula annulata. These data confirm the earlier morphological suspicions of Oliver (1999) and assert the validity of molecular phylogenic analysis in resolving taxonomic ambiguities among members of Turrinae.