Dynamics of the microeukaryotic diversity along the coastal regions of Goa, West Coast of India revealed through target specific metagenomic analysis

Marine coastal regions present a complex environment which supports a vast diversity and is an ecologically important habitat, that connects the terrestrial habitats to and the oceans. Understanding of the microeukaryotic community structure and its dynamics can provide insights into the ecological balance in these habitats. In this study, sampling was carried out from coastal regions off Anjuna and Bogmalo and at an estuarine location near Hawaii, along the coast of Goa, India to understand the variations in the microeukaryotic diversity. For this the target specific metagenomic sequencing of the V9 region of 18S rRNA gene was investigated from the water samples collected from the study locations. The microeukaryotic diversity in these coastal areas are not well understood despite their ecological importance.