Diversity Analysis of Asian Clam Collected from Selected Rivers in Kelantan

Abstract

The phylogenetic study was conducted to reveal the types of Corbicula species located on a selected river in Kelantan. The morphotypes and morphometric features were used to analyse the phenotypic analysis, and genotypes were examined exploiting the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b (cytb) gene. A unique morphotype round (R) was discovered for every examined sample. Furthermore, there were significant differences (p<0.05) in the morphometric features (umbo length, UL; shell width, SW; and shell height, SH) between the C. fluminea populations. The mtDNA cytb sequences are used in the genotyping analysis to confirm that the assessed Corbicula is C. fluminea. Three genotypes were identified in the mtDNA cytb phylogenetic tree. In geographically isolated populations, phylogenetic trees showed polymorphism and minimal genetic variability, which aligned with the phenotypic characterisation. The results clarify the differences among C. fluminea and imply that Corbicula sp. in Kelantan originated from a single species. These findings are significant not only for biologists or those involved in ecology and ecosystems but also for the fisheries sector as it serves as the basis for breeding purposes, overcome the extinction, and enhancing the economy of the inland fishermen in Kelantan.