MORPHOLOGICAL VARIABILITY OF SEVERAL INDONESIAN POPULATIONS OF GIANT FRESHWATER PRAWN, Macrobrachium rosenbergii
Abstract: Patterns in
morphological variability have been the main basis for conventional genetic
improvement program, particularly in selective breeding. Proper understanding
on these patterns hence, is of crucial prerequisite before any scheme of
breeding program is undertaken. This study was aimed to explore those
morphological variations with emphasis on the assessment of among-population
and among-trait variations and assessment of predictive traits that may serve
for inter-population differentiation. A total 281 individuals representing four
natural populations (Asahan, Ogan, Barito, and Ciasem) and one domesticated
stock (GIMacro) were sampled and analyzed for variability in thirteen
morphological traits. While descriptive analyses were applied to analyze both
among-stock and among-trait variations, discriminant function analysis was used
to search for the best traits for interpopulation differentiation. The relative
variability, expressed in the coefficient of variation (CV), was used to
compare the amount and patterns of morphometric variability both among traits
and between stocks. Results showed that total body weight was the most variable
trait while the length and meristic traits were of lower level. Discriminant
analysis found that rostrum length and abdoment length to be the best
morphological discriminators among intraspecific populations. However, the
continuous natures of these traits make them have limited applicability for
intraspecific population differentiation.
Keywords: morphological
variability; giant freshwater prawn (GFP); Macrobrachium rosenbergii;
coefficient of variation (CV)
Author: Imron, Iskandariah,
Bambang Iswanto, Raden Roro Sri Puji Sinarni Dewi
Journal Code: jpperikanangg080001
