Research Article Open Access

The Identification and Quantification of Marine Fish from Environmental DNA in Sulawesi Waters (Makassar Strait, Flores Sea and Bone Bay), Indonesia

Nita Rukminasari1, Andi Aliah Hidayani1, Wilma Joanna Carolina Moka1, Nur Indah Sari Arbit2, Sapto Andriyono3 and Andi Parenrengi4
  • 1 Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries, Hasanuddin University, Indonesia
  • 2 Faculty of Animal Husbandry, West Sulawesi University, Indonesia
  • 3 Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine, Airlangga University, Indonesia
  • 4 Research Centre for Fisheries, National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia

Abstract

The emergence of environmental DNA (eDNA) represents a recent methodological breakthrough for evaluating the presence of aquatic vertebrate species. This approach offers a relatively simple method with significant implications for conservation biology. Our study aim was to augment our understanding of marine fish biodiversity in Sulawesi waters. We employed eDNA metabarcoding to investigate fish biodiversity within Sulawesi waters, specifically focusing on the Makassar Strait, Bone Bay, and Flores Sea. The eDNA was extracted from 4-liter water samples obtained from the surface (0-1m depth) and the water column (15 m depth) at five distinct sites across the study area. Methodological reliability was evaluated using a primer set (MiFish-U) to estimate fish diversity in Sulawesi waters. Analysis of nine water samples collected from Sulawesi waters revealed the presence of 36 marine fish taxa identified to the species level, representing 18 families across 13 orders. The majority of these taxa were associated with reef habitats, indicating the prevalence of coral reef ecosystems in the region. Among the surveyed regions, Bone Bay exhibited the highest species richness with 27 taxa, followed by the Makassar Strait with 14 taxa and the Flores Sea with 12 taxa. This investigation facilitated the estimation of fish diversity utilizing eDNA metabarcoding, thereby furnishing valuable baseline data

OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences
Volume 24 No. 4, 2024, 654-666

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ojbsci.2024.654.666

Submitted On: 19 March 2024 Published On: 5 July 2024

How to Cite: Rukminasari, N., Hidayani, A. A., Carolina Moka, W. J., Sari Arbit, N. I., Andriyono, S. & Parenrengi, A. (2024). The Identification and Quantification of Marine Fish from Environmental DNA in Sulawesi Waters (Makassar Strait, Flores Sea and Bone Bay), Indonesia. OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences, 24(4), 654-666. https://doi.org/10.3844/ojbsci.2024.654.666

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Keywords

  • Diversity
  • Environmental
  • Marine
  • Metabarcoding
  • Sulawesi