Sequence Variations and Molecular Phylogeny of some Red Sea Parrotfishes (Scaridae) Using Mitochondrial Gene Sequences

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Molecular Biology, Zoology Department Faculty of Science, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt

Abstract

  Targeted DNA fragments were isolated from four scarids species; Scarus collana Rüppell 1835; Scarus frenatus Lacepède 1802; Scarus (Chlorurus) sordidus Forsskål 1775 and Scarus niger Forsskål 1775 using mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene-specific primers.
           Analysis of obtained partial 16S rRNA gene nucleotide sequences showed a high level of nucleotide identity in the studied regions. This reflects a close genetic relationship and shared ancestry among studied parrotfishes. Nucleotide compositions of partial 16S rRNA gene nucleotide sequence biased towards adenine and similar preference towards thymine, cytocine, and guanine. Also, base constitutions revealed preference towards higher DNA conservations.
           Phylogenetic analysis displayed patterns of assembly for studied species, and other included related taxa, which reflect their similar genetic makeup and their tendency to have similar niches. The phylogenetic trees revealed two evolutionary lineages splitting Scaridae and Wrasses which assumed that Scaridae should maintain the family status.
          Obtained data could be beneficial for parootfishes classification, conservation, and their needed environments. Therefore, the acquisition of nucleotide sequences from other parrotfishes using the developed mt16S rRNA gene-specific primers utilized here would contribute in the future to the phylogenetic 

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