DNA barcoding of commercially important groupers (Epinephelidae) in Aceh, Indonesia

Abstract

Here, we report for the first time a comprehensive survey of the DNA barcoding of commercially important groupers in Aceh waters, Indonesia using the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The fish samples were collected from major fish landing sites and fish markets in nine districts in Aceh, that covered the western and eastern coastal ecosystems of Aceh. In total, the 144 COI sequences revealed 26 grouper species with most represented by multiple specimens. As expected, genetic distances increased from lower to higher taxonomic levels: 0 %–1.27 % within species, 3.79 %–19.96 % within genus and 13.84 %–24.15 % within family. Out of the total species, 23 (88.5 %), were categorised as Least Concern (LC) and three species (11.5 %) were Data Deficient (DD) under the IUCN Red List. Furthermore, four species were categorized under ‘decreasing population trend’ (Epinephelus bleekeri, E. coioides, Plectropomus leopardus, and Variola albimarginata). This study is a significant contribution to the DNA barcode library of groupers in this region and expansion of the Indonesian and the global barcode entries in general.