USE OF DNA BARCODING IN THE INVESTIGATION OF DISPUTABLE MERISTIC FEATURES FOR HYPSELOBARBUS JERDONI (DAY, 1870) FINGERLINGS

摘要

Hypselobarbus jerdoni is an important medium-sized barb, indigenous to central Western Ghats, with anaquaculture potential and of conservational value. The aim of this study was to use mithochondrial DNA (mtDNA) COIand 16SrRNA genes as a supportive tool to precisely identify the two sister species, H. jerdoni and H. pulchellus, whichshow a lot of variation in meristic characters such as the number of lateral line scales. DNA barcoding included Cytochromeoxidase subunit I (COI) and 16SrRNA genes were done for representatives from different groups (sixty-two number offishes) of Lateral line scales (Lls) counts. The results showed that there was no difference among the specimens based onDNA barcoding (COI and 16SrRNA genes), but there was a difference among them based on the number of llsc. Thisstudy reveals the use of llsc for the identification of these two sister species is questionable.