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

作者：Almada Vitor Carvalho; Francisco Sara Martins^*; Rosa Ines; Domingues Vera; Cabral Henrique; Almada Frederico; Henriques Miguel; Robalo Joana

来源：Biologia, 2012, 67(5): 988-991.

DOI：10.2478/s11756-012-0087-9

• Atherina
• RFLP
• mtDNA

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.

• 出版日期2012-10