Genetic Variation of Albunied Crab Albunea symmysta (Crustacea: Albuneidae) from Enggano Island and Adjacent Region

Abstract

The sand crab Albunea symmysta is widespread in the Pacific, including Indonesia. In Indonesia, A. microps and A. holthuisi have also been reported. In areas adjacent to Indonesia, it is reported that there are five other albunied crab species. Its lifestyle and burying its body in the sand in the intertidal area near to river estuaries means that this albuneid crab is rarely found and studied. In addition, they are cryptic species, which makes it difficult to differentiate them morphologically. This research aimed to elucidate the genetic diversity of albuneid crab in the intertidal area of Enggano Island, which is characterized by calcareous sand based on DNA barcoding of the CO1 gene. We conducted DNA sequencing on A. symmysta samples caught in Enggano (n=12), 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 results 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% -20.2%. A. symmysta Enggano is closest to different locations, ranging from 0.2% to 0.6%. We found five haplotypes of A. symmysta in Enggano out of 29 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 more work to determine the species of albuneid crab other than A symmysta which was found in Enggano (n=2).