A rapid and inexpensive molecular technique to discriminate the north-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Atherina species and its potential applications in ecology and larval identification

Almada, Vítor Carvalho; Francisco, Sara Martins; Rosa, Inês; Domingues, Vera dos Santos; Cabral, Henrique; Almada, Frederico José Oliveira de; Henriques, Miguel; Robalo, Joana Isabel

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/1791

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Authors

Almada, Vítor Carvalho

Francisco, Sara Martins

Rosa, Inês

Domingues, Vera dos Santos

Cabral, Henrique

Almada, Frederico José Oliveira de

Henriques, Miguel

Robalo, Joana Isabel

Abstract(s)

This note describes a rapid and inexpensive Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism technique to discriminate all species of Atherina (Pisces: Atherinidae) of the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. This technique is based on digestion of a fragment of the 12S ribosomal RNA (12SrRNA) gene region of mitochondrial DNA with restriction enzymes that recognize species-specific nucleotide sites. The three currently recognized species in the area, as well as two additional forms awaiting formal description, can be discriminated using a set of four endonucleases. We argue that this simple and fast technique may be of great help in the identification of young stages and in ecological surveys.