DNA barcoding of endangered giant clams in islands off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia

Shahreza Md Sheriff, . and Yusri Yusuf, . and Md Nizam Ismail, . and Nur Syahirah Mamat, . and Siti Azizah Md Nor, . and Norainy Mohd Husin, . DNA barcoding of endangered giant clams in islands off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. pp. 35-47. ISSN 2672-7226

This study reports on the taxonomic verification and distribution of three presumed morphologically identical Tridacna species (giant clams) namely T. crocea T. maxima and T. squamosa from nine localities in islands off Terengganu Pahang and Johor in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. A 467-bp partial sequence of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase 1 (MT-CO1) which serves as the DNA barcoding gene was analysed for species identification of 247 samples. The MT-CO1 gene was successfully used to identify all the giant clam samples to species level based on GenBank BLAST and BOLD databases. Three highly-supported clusters were obtained which supported the morphological species determination into T. crocea T. maxima and T. squamosa. However a few discrepancies were observed which could be attributed to misidentification of juveniles. T. squamosa and T. crocea were more closely related to each other compared to T. maxima. T. maxima and T. squamosa were found to be ubiquitous in all the islands while T. crocea was restricted to the southeastern islands of Pahang and Johor. The precise identification of samples through the MT-CO1 gene and information on their distributions are useful in strategising the conservation and management of giant clams in this region.

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Abstract

This study reports on the taxonomic verification and distribution of three presumed morphologically identical Tridacna species (giant clams) namely T. crocea T. maxima and T. squamosa from nine localities in islands off Terengganu Pahang and Johor in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. A 467-bp partial sequence of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase 1 (MT-CO1) which serves as the DNA barcoding gene was analysed for species identification of 247 samples. The MT-CO1 gene was successfully used to identify all the giant clam samples to species level based on GenBank BLAST and BOLD databases. Three highly-supported clusters were obtained which supported the morphological species determination into T. crocea T. maxima and T. squamosa. However a few discrepancies were observed which could be attributed to misidentification of juveniles. T. squamosa and T. crocea were more closely related to each other compared to T. maxima. T. maxima and T. squamosa were found to be ubiquitous in all the islands while T. crocea was restricted to the southeastern islands of Pahang and Johor. The precise identification of samples through the MT-CO1 gene and information on their distributions are useful in strategising the conservation and management of giant clams in this region.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	Clams
AGROVOC Term:	Tridacna crocea
AGROVOC Term:	Tridacna maxima
AGROVOC Term:	Tridacna squamosa
AGROVOC Term:	Sampling
AGROVOC Term:	analysis
AGROVOC Term:	Animal morphology
AGROVOC Term:	Species
AGROVOC Term:	Coral reefs
AGROVOC Term:	Ecosystems
Depositing User:	Mr. AFANDI ABDUL MALEK
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 00:55
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/9976

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