Molecular identification of Pomacea canaliculata and P. insularum from rice paddy in different origins in China using mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate subunit 6 gene.

To identify Pomacea canaliculata and P. insularum using a molecular approach, the partial sequences of mitochondrial (mt) adenosine triphosphate subunit 6 (patp6) genes of two apple snails species from eight provinces of China were obtained. The intra-specific variations in mt patp6 within P. canaliculata were 0-4.5%, and no sequence difference in this region was observed within P. insularum. However, high inter-specific variations between P. canaliculata and P. insularum were detected, with sequence differences of 8.9-10.1%. Phylogenetic analyses based on sequences of mt patp6 revealed that P. canaliculata and P. insularum were grouped in different clades, but the genetic trees could not reveal geographically genetic relationships of P. canaliculata isolates from different origins. These findings will provide basic information for further study of molecular epidemiology and control of Pomacea invasion in China as well as in the world.