关键词: 伪虎鲸, 黄海水域, mtDNA 控制区, 物种分化

Abstract: Five hundred and thirty three base pairs (bp) of the mitochondrial control region of seven false killer whales ( Pseudorca crassidens) from the Yellow Sea in China were sequenced. Fifty-four variable sites were determined and four haplotypes were identified. Phylogenetic analyses using maximum likelihood and neighbor-joining algorithms divided the haplotypes of false killer whales into two clades showing no sister relationship with each other. No shared haplotypes were found between the two clades. The average nucleotide divergence between the two clades is approximately 7.61 %, much higher than those between Turisops species (5.58 %) and between Delphinus species (1.09 %), which suggested that the two clades represent respective species. Further study is urgently needed.

Key words: False killer whale ( Pseudorca crassidens), MtDNA control region, Species differentiation, Yellow Sea