Resumen de DNA Barcoding of Commercially Important Trevallies, Carangoides spp. (Carangiformes: Carangidae): A Baseline Report of Species from Malaysia

Nuralif Fakhrullah Mohd Nur, Salwani Abdullah, Ying Giat Seah, Siti Azizah Mohd Nor, Min Pau Tan, Ahasan Habib, Rumeaida Mat Piah, Tun Nurul Aimi Mat Jaafar

• Species of genus Carangoides also known as trevallies are one of the commercially exploited groups of fshes in Malaysia. The genus Carangoides consists of fshes with mixed morphological and meristic characteristics. Due to this, species within this genus are often reported as single collective group, rather than as an individual species. Thus, fsheries landing statistics do not refect the precise number of individual species harvested and the true status of species exploitation pattern will hinder efcient sustainable exploitation of a particular species. In this study, an annotated list of the 13 species of Carangoides known from Malaysian waters is presented with two species (C. oblongus and C. talamparoides) recorded as frst specimen-based records and two species (C. chrysophrys and C. fulvoguttatus) as additional specimen-based distribution records in Malaysia. All species are briefy described, and a key is provided to identify Malaysian species of Carangoides. The mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was also analyzed for genetic identifcation of 271 samples representing all of the species in the study. The average within species K2P distance was 0.4% with C. oblongus and C. praeustus showing the lowest intraspecifc divergence (0%) and C. coeruleopinnatus showed the highest (1.3%). A maximum-likelihood tree generated from haplotype sequences clearly grouped all 13 putative species into their own clade.

  However, C. coeruleopinnatus and C. gymnostethus showed deep intraspecifc divergence (9.1% and 3.5%) which formed three and two clusters with their own respective taxa. A more detailed analysis on the taxonomic status of some individuals within these species is required.