Genetic identification of species and natural hybridization determination based on mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA of genus Zacco in Korea

Abstract

Genus Zacco specimens collected in this study were classified genetically as five species, Zacco platypus, Z. temminckii, Z. koreanus and two unidentified species, using DNA barcoding analysis based on 655 bp of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Two of unidentified species (Z. sp.1 and Z. sp.2) were considered to be unrecorded or new species of genus Zacco according to genetic distances between Zacco species. In addition, we determined a natural hybrid based on polymorphic base at the diagnostic positions displayed on nuclear recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) gene (965 bp), and estimated paternal and maternal species of natural hybrid comparing phylogenetic tree between COI and RAG1, and Z. sp.1♀ × Z. koreanus♂, Z. sp.2♀ × Z. koreanus♂ and Z. koreanus♀ × Z. sp.1♂ individuals were confirmed. The habitat of natural hybrids of Z. koreanus between Z. sp.1 and Z. sp.2 was identified as Geum and Yeongsan River, respectively. In our data, only F1 hybrid generation was identified; however, generations after F1 hybrid or backcross were not demonstrated.

Keywords:

• Natural hybrid
• DNA barcoding
• genus Zacco
• COI
• RAG1

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea Government (MSIT) [2013M3A9A5047052 and 2017M3A9A48999].