First report of Equulites klunzingeri identification in the Persian Gulf by using DNA Barcoding technique

Equulites klunzingeri from Leiognathidae is distributed in the Mediterranean and Red Seas and there is no report of distribution from the Persian Gulf already. Specimens captured on February 2018 by using local trawl net (mesh: 12 mm) from Hormuz island nearshore waters. Thirty morphometric and 6 meristic characters surveyed for the specimen. The complete sequence of the Co1 gene (620 bp) sequenced after amplification and then comparison carried with a sequence of other species of Equulitesavailable in the gene bank. Lowest genetic distance observed in the comparison of our haplotypes with haplotypes of E. klunzingeri (1-3 base pair) and these values were 6-37 in comparison with other six species. Also, morphological characteristics such as length of second anal spine and coloration pattern on upper lateral flanks confirmed that our specimen didn’t belong to E. leuciscus and other species of this genus. This study is the first documented report of E. klunzingeri from the Persian Gulf and could be useful in our knowledge about fish biodiversity in the mentioned area.

کلیدواژه ها:

Leiognathidae ، Persian Gulf ، Klunzinger Ponyfish