MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF EPIGEIC EARTHWORM EUDRILUS EUGENIAE (KINBERG), TREATED WITH TANNERY SLUDGE

DNA barcoding is a powerful tool used for species identification by the expanding exploitation of mtDNA gene cytochrome c oxidase I (COI), as a genetic marker. In the present study, COI gene based DNA barcoding was employed to identify the epigeic species Eudrilus eugeniae. Molecular characterization of Eudrilus eugeniae was performed using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for COI gene. Phylogenetic tree was constructed using Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis (MEGA7) software for the obtained sequences. The evolutionary divergences between its closely related species were also performed to disclose its amendments that occurred during evolution.