Mitochondrial CO1 sequences of Banggai cardinal fish (BCF) from Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

This study determines the genetic structure of Banggai cardinal fish (BCF) from Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, based on the mitochondrial CO1 genetic marker. Sample collection used SCUBA gear and “chang net” fishing gear. One BCF specimen was collected in this study. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using 5X Firepol PCR Master Mix. Bi-directional sequencing was done by First Base CO (Malaysia) using Big Dye© terminator chemistry (Perkin Elmer). PCR outcomes were separated using 0.8% agarose gel electrophoresis and shown by amplification of 718 bp band. The fish population found in the Lembeh Strait was Pterapogon kauderni Koumans, 1933 based on BLAST method. The lowest pairwise distance (d) was 0.000 (0%) and the highest was 0.324 (32.413%) with an average distance of 0.087±0.117 (8.692±11.746%). Genetic distance (d) of the ingroup was shorter than that of the outgroup. Based on the phylogenetic tree, the population of P. cauderni (ingroup) forms one cluster and is separated from other fish groups (outgroup). The closest population to P. kauderni is Sphaeramia nematoptera.