Mitochondrial DNA markers to identify commercial spiny lobster species (Panulirus spp.) from the Pacific coast of Mexico: an application on phyllosoma larvae
Molecular markers based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are extensively used to study genetic relationships. mtDNA has been used in phylogenetic studies to understand the evolutionary history of species because it is maternally
inherited and is not subject to genetic recombination (Gyllensten et al., 1991). The high mutation rate of
mtDNA makes it a useful tool for differentiating between closely related species (Brown et al., 1979)—a tool that is especially important when significant variations occur between species, but not within species (Hill et al., 2001; Blair et al., 2006; Chow et al., 2006a)
