Haplotype diversity of Pangolin (Manis javanica Desmarest, 1822) based on the COI gene

Abstract

The Pangolin (Manis javanica) is a unique scaly mammal with the IUCN status as a critically endangered species. In Indonesia, M. javanica is distributed in Java, Sumatra, and Kalimantan. The population of M. javanica has been declined due to the high poaching. M. javanica has been reported present in some locations in West Sumatra however, there is no biological data, especially molecular data. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct the haplotype diversity study of M. javanica using the CO1 gene. Hair samples of M. javanica were collected during the release of M. javanica in the Biology Education and Research Forest (HPPB) of Andalas University. The result of the study was obtained 601 bp of the CO1 gene for analysis. Two haplogroups were obtained from five sequences in West Sumatra and 15 Genbank sequences. The value of haplotype diversity was 0.995. The value of nucleotide diversity (π) in the haplogroup ranged from 0.042 to 0.047. The value of nucleotide diversity (π) between haplogroups ranged from 0.0148 to 0.0161. Overall, the values indicate the low genetic diversity of pangolin (M. javanica). Therefore, it is necessary to maintain and increase the genetic diversity of M. javanica within haplogroups.