In this issue

Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment of the Eel Fishery in Aparri, Cagayan, Philippines
Determining Sexual Development and Size at Sexual Maturity of Sardinella tawilis and its Implications on Management
Species Composition, Relative Abundance, Distribution, and Size Structure of Spiny Lobsters (Panulirus spp.) in Eastern Visayas, Philippines
Heavy Metals in the Striped Snakehead Murrel Channa striata and Sediments of Lake Mainit, Philippines with Notes on Piscine Micronuclei Occurrence
The Fisheries of Liguasan Marsh, North Cotabato, Mindanao, Philippines
Mixed Methods Approach in Documenting Aquaculture Practices and Market Dynamics of the Freshwater Eel Anguilla spp. Industry in the Philippines
Shell Dimension-Weight Relationship and Condition Index of the Invasive Mussel Mytella strigata in Sasmuan, Pampanga, Philippines
Phenotypic Variability in Dorsal-fin Rays of Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766) from Western, Visayas, Philippines
Abundance and Distribution of the Larvae of Family Carangidae in the Philippine Waters
Addressing Food Security in Batangas, Philippines through Backyard Tilapia Farming

Journal Issue Volume 30 Issue 1 Phenotypic Variability in Dorsal-fin Rays of Rachycentron canadum...

Short Communication

Phenotypic Variability in Dorsal-fin Rays of Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766) from Western, Visayas, Philippines

ORCID logo Roxanne A. Cabebe-Barnuevo1, ORCID logo Dianne Frances A. Penuela2, ORCID logo Dominique P. Mediodia1, ORCID logo Ricardo P. Babaran1, ORCID logo
Maria Celia D. Malay2

Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas

Corresponding author

mdmalay@up.edu.ph

1 Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas
2 Marine Biodiversity and Evolution Lab, Division of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas

Page 107-115 | Received 5 Sep 2022, Accepted 18 Jan 2023

Abstract

Cobia, Rachycentron canadum, is the only species in the family of Rachycentridae. Cobia is typically characterized as having 26–33 dorsal-fin rays. However, an investigation of specimens collected from Western Visayas waters revealed a wider variation in dorsal-fin ray count than previously reported, with some specimens having 35–36 dorsal-fin rays. Suspecting a possible cryptic species, we compared the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) sequence for specimens with 35–36 dorsal-fin rays with those having the more typical 26–33 dorsal-fin rays. The sequences revealed no genetic differences between the two morphs. Morphometric measurements and meristic counting likewise found no significant differences. This is the first report of phenotypic variability in the dorsal-fin rays in Cobia. As a result of the phenotypic and genotypic characterization presented in this work, fisheries scientists and ichthyologists will be more aware of the existence of phenotypic variability in Cobia.


Keywords: COI, DNA barcoding, Cobia, meristic variation, phenotypic variability