A genetic approach for authentication on morphological differences of cultivated pompano species in Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract. Hakim AA, Dikrurahman, Muhlis S, Astuti RP, Sari DW, Kamal MM. 2022. A genetic approach for authentication on morphological differences of cultivated pompano species in Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 4561-4569. Due to the increasing demand for animal protein, the Batam Marine Cultivation Fisheries Center (BPBL Batam) developed pompano (Trachinotus spp.) for aquaculture. Because of the different external characteristics, local communities recognized three types of pompano, i.e., bintang, emas, andhibridpompano. The study aimed to prove the authenticity of cultivated pompano (Trachinotus spp.) with morphological differences based on a DNA barcoding approach with 16S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) partial genesequences. A total of 30 barcode sequences from COI and 16S rRNA genes were obtained from three types of pompano, and all samples were validated as Trachinotus blochii with percent identity of 99.85-100% by COI and 100% by 16S rRNA. Emas, bintang, and hibrid pompano also have the same or very similar GC content both based on COI and 16S rRNA sequences. The average genetic distances calculated between species in the genusTrachinotus were 0.09 and 0.02 among COI and 16S rRNA sequences, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis constructed from COI and 16S rRNA gene sequences of all types of pompano and related species segregated genus into one clade (T. blochii) and the outgroup (other species) as another clade. This study contributed essential genetic data to the NCBI database both COI and 16S rRNA gene sequences. Despite having morphological differences, all types of pompano were successfully authenticated into the same species because they have identical nucleotide base arrangements and can be presumed from the same ancestor.