DNA barcoding for the assessment of marine and coastal Fish Diversity from the Coast of Mozambique

The ichthyological provinces of Mozambique are understudied hotspots of global fish diversity. In this study, we applied DNA barcoding to identify the composition of the fish fauna from the coast of Mozambique. A total of 143 species belonging to 104 genera, 59 families, and 30 orders were identified. The overall K2P distance of the COI sequences within species ranged from 0.00% to 1.51%, while interspecific distances ranged from 3.64% to 24.49%. Moreover, the study revealed 15 threatened species according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with elasmobranchs being the most represented group. Additionally, the study also uncovered four new species that were not previously recorded in this geographic area, including Boleophthalmus dussumieri, Maculabatis gerrardi, Hippocampus kelloggi, and Lethrinus miniatus. This study represents the first instance of utilizing molecular references to explore the fish fauna along the Mozambican coast. Our results indicate that DNA barcoding is a dependable technique for the identification and delineation of fish species in the waters of Mozambique. The DNA barcoding library established in this research will be an invaluable asset for advancing the understanding of fish diversity and guiding future conservation initiatives.

莫桑比克的鱼类地理区是全球鱼类多样性中研究不足的热点区域。本研究采用DNA条形码（DNA barcoding）技术，对莫桑比克沿岸的鱼类群落组成进行鉴定。本次研究共鉴定出隶属于30个目、59个科、104个属的143种鱼类。种内COI（细胞色素c氧化酶亚基I）序列的整体K2P遗传距离区间为0.00%至1.51%，种间遗传距离则介于3.64%至24.49%之间。此外，本研究依据《世界自然保护联盟濒危物种红色名录》（IUCN Red List of Threatened Species），共识别出15种濒危物种，其中板鳃类鱼类为占比最高的类群。同时，本研究还记录了4种该海域此前未被报道的新分布物种，分别为Boleophthalmus dussumieri、Maculabatis gerrardi、Hippocampus kelloggi及Lethrinus miniatus。本研究是首次利用分子参考序列探究莫桑比克沿岸鱼类区系的相关工作。研究结果表明，DNA条形码技术是莫桑比克海域鱼类物种鉴定与类群划分的可靠手段。本研究构建的DNA条形码数据库，将为深化鱼类多样性研究及指导后续保护行动提供极具价值的资源支撑。