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oai:recercat.cat:20.500.12327/29902025-10-22T11:06:04Zcom_2072_4428com_2072_4427col_2072_487898

00925njm 22002777a 4500 dc Guerao, Guillermo author Andree, Karl B. author Froglia, Carlo author Simeó, Carles G. author Rotllant, Guiomar author 2011-03-30 Four species of crabs of the genus Maja have been described along the European coast: M. brachydactyla, M. squinado, M. goltziana and M. crispata. The commercially important species M. brachydactyla and M. squinado achieve the largest body sizes and are the most similar in morphology, and are therefore easily confused. The four species of Maja were identified using a novel morphometric index and a polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP). The relationship between carapace length and the distance between the tips of antorbital spines was used to distinguish adults of M. brachydactyla and M. squinado. PCR-RFLP analysis of a partial sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase type I (COI) revealed that the four species of the genus Maja can be unambiguously discriminated using the combination of restriction endonucleases enzymes HpyCH4V and Ase I. The molecular identification may be particularly useful in larvae, juvenile and young crabs, when the morphological differences found in adults are not applicable. Guerao, Guillermo, Karl B. Andree, Carlo Froglia, Carles G. Simeó, and Guiomar Rotllant. 2011. “Identification of European Species of Maja (Decapoda: Brachyura: Majidae): RFLP Analyses of COI mtDNA and Morphological Considerations.” Scientia Marina 75 (1): 129–134. doi: 10.3989/scimar.2011.75n1129 0214-8358 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12327/2990 https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2011.75n1129 Identification of European species of Maja (Decapoda: Brachyura: Majidae): RFLP analyses of COI mtDNA and morphological considerations