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Occurrence of the tropical eels Anguilla bengalensis bengalensis and Anguilla bicolor bicolor in Peninsular Malaysia and implications for eel taxonomy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2015

Takaomi Arai ,
Too Chin Chin ,
Kok Onn Kwong  and
Mohd Nor Siti Azizah
Takaomi Arai*
Affiliation:
Institute of Oceanography and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
Too Chin Chin
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Penang, Malaysia
Kok Onn Kwong
Affiliation:
Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
Mohd Nor Siti Azizah
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Penang, Malaysia Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: T. Arai, Institute of Oceanography and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia email: arai@umt.edu.my
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Abstract

The anguillid eels found in Peninsular Malaysia were identified using a morphological analysis and that identification was further validated as Anguilla bengalensis bengalensis and Anguilla bicolor bicolor by an analysis of the eels' mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences. Because of the difficulty of accurately identifying tropical eels solely on morphological analyses, previous studies had reported the occurrence of the tropical eel species Anguilla marmorata in Peninsular Malaysia. This study suggests the occurrence of Anguilla bengalensis bengalensis in Malaysian waters, confirmed by both morphological and molecular genetic analyses. Anguilla bicolor is further confirmed as the subspecies of Anguilla bicolor bicolor by molecular genetic analyses. The present study also suggests that accurate tropical eel species identification requires validation by molecular genetic analysis after a morphological observation.

Keywords

AnguilladistributionMalaysiamolecularspecies identificationtropical eel
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 8 , 2015 , e28
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2015 

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