Exploited but Unevaluated: DNA Barcoding Reveals Skates and Stingrays (Chordata, Chondrichthyes) Species Landed in the Indonesian Fish Market
Abstract: Reliable and precise
species identification is important to fisheries management and conservation.
However, many rays and skates in Indonesia are currently being exploited and
landed into traditional fish market without a proper identification. Therefore,
this study was conducted to identify species of skates and stingrays that were
landed and traded in three fish markets in Indonesia (Palabuhanratu, Muara
Saban, and Lampung) using molecular techniques and to determine the
conservation status of the identified species based on IUCN (International
Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) as well as defined by
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). The
mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene was amplified by polymerase chain
reaction (PCR) using a pair of primer, fish-BCL and fish-BCH. Of 29 tissue
samples collected from the study sites, a total of five species were
successfully identified: Dipturus chilensis (4), Himantura walga (1), Neotrygon
kuhlii (11), Taeniura lymma (9) and Rhinoptera javanica (4). The Neighbor
Joining phylogeny of mitochondrial lineages, based on partial COI gene
sequences, the ingroup haplotypes were clustered into five main clades
representing each species. The identified stingrays were being listed as
vulnerable (D. chilensis and R. javanica), near threatened (H. walga and T.
lymma), and data deficient (N. kuhlii) by IUCN, with two species (D. chilensis
and H. walga) population were indicated decreased. Unfortunately, all of
identified species have not been evaluated by CITES regarding their trade
status. As a consequences, a valuable effort should be placed to create a
scientific network for monitoring programmes not only on a local scale, and to
make pressure on governments for adopting molecular techniques as tools for
controlling and avoiding misidentification.
Author: Hawis Madduppa, Rani
Utari Ayuningtyas, Beginer Subhan, Dondy Arafat, Prehadi
Journal Code: jpperikanangg160009
