TAXONOMIC IDENTIFICATION OF FORAMINIFERA USING RIBOSOMAL DNA-SEQUENCES

DNA was extracted from seven different morphotypes of Glabratella spp. collected at the French littoral zone of the Mediterranean Sea. A fra gment of 400 bp situated at the 5' terminal region of the large subuni t ribosomal RNA gene was amplified and sequenced. Two different sequen ces were obtained grouping respectively three and four of the morphoty pes, thus allowing distinction of two species. Each of the species inc luded morphologically different agamont and gamont life cycle generati ons. The species were identified as Glabratella erecta (Sidebottom) an d Glabratella elegantissima (Sidebottom) based on differences in size and form of the agamont test. This is a pilot study of the use of mole cular taxonomy in foraminifera. This paper is dedicated to the late Pr ofessor Paul Bronnimann (1913-1993), for the enthusiasm and encouragem ent he always expressed towards our research on molecular evolution an d taxonomy of foraminifera.