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Abstract
Eels have always been a source of fascination because of their charismatic shape and size. They are good source of animal protein and bear high food values. Dwindling population of eels has meanwhile led certain species to IUCN threatened categories. In spite of these, scientific investigations on the only species of this genus, Anguilla bengalensis, in this region have not been reported much. Many biological questions of the catadromous fish are still unanswered. Quick but authentic identification of threatened species is vital to unveil such query and frame out conservation and management strategies. DNA barcodes utilising partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene and nuclear rhodopsin gene were developed in this current study. Conventional taxonomic information has also been included contemplating inevitable role of it in unambiguous species level discrimination. The study has generated novel barcode of the species from this region to decipher implications on congeneric and conspecific divergence.
Highlights
* Generation of mt-COI DNA barcode
* Generation of nuclear rhodopsin gene DNA barcode
* Taxonomic review of Anguilla bengalensis
Keywords: DNA-Barcoding, threatened fish, eel, Anguiila bengalensis
Fish is an integral part of socio economic fabric of the state of Assam which is part of biodiversity hot-spot. Anguillids and other eel shaped fish species of Assam bear high market price and many a times more compatible than carps. A few Anguilla species are introduced in aquaculture in countries like Japan (Leander et al. 2012). Ege (1939), Castle and Williamson (1974) and Watanabe et al. (2009) mentioned sixteen species of the genus Anguilla (Aoyama 2009). Eels are found in the tropical, subtropical and temperate parts of the globe and not available at South Atlantic and the west coasts of North and South America (Aoyama 2009). At present FISHBOL has enlisted eighteen species of genus Anguilla, viz., Anguilla anguilla, Anguilla australis, Anguilla bengalensis, Anguilla bicolor, Anguilla borneensis, Anguilla celebesensis, Anguilla dieffenbachii, Anguilla interioris, Anguilla japonica, Anguilla luzonensis, Anguilla malgumora, Anguilla marmorata, Anguilla megastoma, Anguilla mossambica, Anguilla nebulosa, Anguilla obscura, Anguilla reinhardtii and Anguilla rostrata. Among these, Anguilla bengalensis is the only species of genus Anguilla in Assam. In addition to its high market price, the species plays role in traditional therapeutics in Assam and neighbouring states in treatment of burn injury (Rahman et...