Morphological and genetic analyses of the first record of longrakered trevally, Ulua mentalis (Perciformes: Carangidae) and of the pinjalo snapper, Pinjalo pinjalo (Perciformes: Lutjanidae) in the Odisha coast, Bay of Bengal

Abstract

Identification of fish species have so far been carried out mostly by classical morpho-taxonomy. In the present study, however, an attempt has been taken to identify two species of fishes Ulua mentalis and Pinjalo pinjalo of order Perciformes which happens to be the first record in Odisha coast Bay of Bengal, India during the year 2015, using DNA barcoding technique for reconfirmation over conventional morpho-taxonomy. During recent past, study of molecular-taxonomical profile of mitochondrial DNA in general and Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I (COI) gene in particular has gained enormous importance for accurate identification of species. In the present study, the partial COI sequence of Ulua mentalis and Pinjalo pinjalo were generated. Analysis using the COI gene produced phylogenetic trees in concurrence with other multi gene studies and we came across the identical phylogenetic relationship considering Neighbor-Joining and Maximum Likelihood tree. Moreover, these molecular data set further testified in Bayesian framework to reevaluate the exact taxonomic groupings within the family. Surprisingly, Ulua mentalis and Pinjalo pinjalo seems to be closely related to their sister taxa.

Sequencing and Characterization of Mitochondrial Protein-Coding Genes for Schizothorax niger (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) with Phylogenetic Consideration

“…In these genes, no saturation was observed as shown by a linear correlation when the transitions and transversions were plotted against genetic distance ( Figure 3 ). Similarly, the rate of transitional substitutions was higher than that of transversions; similar findings were also reported from Barik et al [ 56 ]. It was also confirmed from a significantly higher ( P < 0.001) Iss.c value of symmetrical (0.849) and asymmetrical (0.631) as compared to Iss values (0.085).…”

Molecular evidence for Myripristisjacobus and Scarustaeniopterus new to Bay of Bengal: Sporadic appearance or preliminary colonization?

“…Recent reports indicate that many marine fishes have been introduced into the Bay of Bengal, inflicting community shift from their native habitats (Barik et al, 2020; 2018a, 2018b, 2018c, 2017). This type of community shift is believed to result in changing structural properties of the marine environment depending upon the species composition.…”