A new subspecies identification and population study of the Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) in Malay Peninsula and southern Thailand based on fecal DNA method.
Three species of otter can be found throughout Malay Peninsula: Aonyx cinereus, Lutra sumatrana, and Lutrogale perspicillata. In this study, we focused on the A. cinereus population that ranges from the southern and the east coast to the northern regions of Malay Peninsula up to southern Thailand to review the relationships between the populations based on the mitochondrial D-loop region. Forty-eight samples from six populations were recognized as Johor, Perak, Terengganu, Kelantan, Ranong, and Thale Noi. Among the 48 samples, 33 were identified as A. cinereus, seven as L. sumatrana, and eight as L. perspicillata. Phylogenetically, two subclades formed for A. cinereus. The first subclade grouped all Malay Peninsula samples except for samples from Kelantan, and the second subclade grouped Kelantan samples with Thai sample. Genetic distance analysis supported the close relationships between Thai and Kelantan samples compared to the samples from Terengganu and the other Malaysian states. A minimum-spanning network showed that Kelantan and Thailand formed a haplogroup distinct from the other populations. Our results show that Thai subspecies A. cinereus may have migrated to Kelantan from Thai mainland. We also suggest the classification of a new subspecies from Malay Peninsula, the small-clawed otter named A. cinereus kecilensis.
School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
M K A
MK
Rosli
School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
S M F
SM
Syed-Shabthar
Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Km 10, Jalan Cheras, 50664 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Abdul-Patah
School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Abdul-Samad
School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
S N
SN
Abdul
Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Km 10, Jalan Cheras, 50664 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
M N
MN
Burhanuddin
School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
N A
NA
Zulkifli
School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
M N
MN
Shukor
Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Office, Ladyao, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
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K
Budsabong
Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Office, Ladyao, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
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S
Changtragoon
Department of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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T
Sekiguchi
Chikushi Jogakuen University Junior College, 2-12-1 Ishizaka, Dazaifu 818-0192, Japan.
H
H
Sasaki
School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
B M
BM
Md-Zain
D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D005243:Feces; D008296:Malaysia; D010041:Otters / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D013785:Thailand
D004247:DNA