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Integrative taxonomy peeps a new torrent catfish species of genus Amblyceps (Siluriformes: Amblycipitidae) in Kaladan River of Mizoram, India

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Abstract

Background

Explorations of the Kaladan River of Mizoram, India during the last decade have given a large number of new species. Integrative taxonomy, when used at the time of discovery of new species, can correlate the morphological characters with the species-specific DNA signatures and ameliorate the process of species identification. Based on this approach, Amblyceps hmolaii sp. nov., a new torrent catfish species is described from the Kaladan River drainage.

Methods and results

The new species is distinguished from all twenty-two congeners by morphometric measurements and meristic counts. Sequence analysis of mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), generated in this study and those available in NCBI, separated A. hmolaii sp. nov. from seven species of Amblyceps. Analysis of COI sequences, with ABGD software to delimit the species, also provided eight stable groups corresponding to the eight species of Amblyceps. The new species was separated from its congeners with an average genetic distance of 11.77%. Maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree was constructed using the best fit nucleotide substitution model HKY + G + I.

Conclusion

This study used all the twenty-two congeners in morphomeristic analysis and seven congeners in molecular analysis, for comparison with the new species. This approach unambiguously resolved the new species from other species of Amblyceps and created its species-specific DNA signatures. The discovery of new species even marked the first record of genus Amblyceps from the Kaladan drainage.

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Data availability

The DNA sequences generated in this study are available at NCBI. The type specimens are available in Zoological Survey of India, and Pachhunga University College Museum of Fishes, Mizoram, India.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, Laishram Kosygin (ZSI) and Waikhom Vishwanath for permission to access materials under their care; Vanlalmalsawma (Sawmtea) for field assistance; Director, ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow for providing laboratory facilities and Dr H. Lalthanzara, Principal, Pachhunga University College.

Funding

Department of Biotechnology, Government of India (No. BT/388/NE/TBP/2012).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, India

    Mahender Singh

  2. Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India

    Samuel Lalronunga

  3. Department of Zoology, Pachhunga University College, Aizawl, Mizoram, India

    Lal Ramliana

Authors
  1. Mahender Singh
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  2. Samuel Lalronunga
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  3. Lal Ramliana
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Contributions

Both LR and MS conceptualised the study. The sample collection and morphometric and meristic part was carried out by SL and LR, whereas molecular analysis part was carried out by MS.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mahender Singh.

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Authors declare no conflict of interest associated with present publication.

Ethical Approval

This study did not involve human participants. All experiments involving live fish were carried out as per guideline and permission of Institutional Animal Ethics Committee, Committee for the Purpose of Control/ Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA), and Animal Dissection Monitoring Committee of Pachhunga University College, Aizawl-Mizoram. ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources used the preserved samples provided by Pachhunga University College.

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Singh, M., Lalronunga, S. & Ramliana, L. Integrative taxonomy peeps a new torrent catfish species of genus Amblyceps (Siluriformes: Amblycipitidae) in Kaladan River of Mizoram, India. Mol Biol Rep 49, 4565–4572 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-022-07302-7

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