STUDIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF THREE KINDS OF MITTEN CRABS USING RAPD TECHNIQUE

The RAPD technique, together with the method of morphology, was used to study the genetic relationship among three kinds of important mitten crabs:Eriocheir sinensis, E. japonions and E. japonions hepuensis. The ratios of the length to width of the propodus of the fourth leg in the three kinds of mitten crabs were identical or near to those of taxonomic samples. In RAPD amplification for 10 individuals of every kind of mitten crabs, specific, reproducible bands were yielded.The similarities among the three kinds of crabs showed that the relationship between E.sinensis and E. japonicus is the most distant and that of E. japonions hepuensis and E. japonions is the closest. The sample size of RAPD analysis and the feasibility of RAPD marker for Erioccheir differentiation were discussed.