Utilizing Cytochrome C subunit 1 in the identification of Radix auricularia in the AL-Chibayish marshes of Thi-Qar province, Iraq

Abstract

This study came to show the presence of Radix auricularia snails in the Al-Chibayish Marshes, east of Thi Qar province, southern Iraq. After many previous studies denied the existence of this species of snail in southern Iraq, where 2140 snails were collected during the period (from November 2021 to October 2022) from the Chibayish Marshes. east of Thi Qar province, southern Iraq, then sorted them according to form and color into four distinct dark red (A), black ((B), dark orange (C), brown (D). After that, the DNA was extracted, and the molecular study of the COX1 gene was performed, where the results of the sequence of this gene and through the evolutionary tree showed that the study samples belong to the form R. auricularia. There is also a percentage of agreement of these samples with the reference sample (93.23-100) % and with each other (98.54-100) %. It is a high match rate. It was confirmed that all samples of the current study belong to the form R. auricularia. The samples were then registered in the International Gen Bank. In this study, the presence of R. auricularia snails was confirmed in the Al-Chibayish Marshes in Thi-Qar province, which represents one of the provinces of southern Iraq.