Genetic diversity of small eukaryotes from the coastal waters of Nansha Islands in China

Population structures and genetic diversity of the small eukaryotic plankton from the coastal waters of the Nansha Islands in China were investigated. Two genes libraries using 18S rDNA of the marine small eukaryotes were constituted, and 323 clones were identified within alveolates (more than 43%), acanthareas, viridiplantaes, and stramenopiles. Many novel clones were detected in the two libraries, including two groups of alveolates and two clades related to both acanthareas and polycystineas. Several sequences unrelated to any other known eukaryotes may represent early branches in the phylogenetic tree. Our results reveal that there is a high diversity and abundance of small eukaryotes in the marine regions of China.