Holocentrinae and Myripristinae (Holocentridae) are among the most apparent species in the nocturnal reef fish community. However, there is no clear assent regarding their phylogenetic relations, which is reported in their complicated taxonomic history. In this study, Sargocentron spinosissimum (Temminck et Schlegel, 1843) and Sargocentron tiereoides (Bleeker, 1853) were reported from the Mediterranean coast of Egypt (Damietta coast). This is the first record of these species which is greatly distributed across Indo-Pacific regions and eastern Africa showed the success of these species to migrate to the Mediterranean water with a good adaptation to the new habitats. In the presently reported study, 26 morphometric measurements were recorded and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcodes were recovered for a total of 20 specimens (8 from S. spinosissimum and 12 from S. tiereoides). The specimens from the Damietta coast, Egypt show character states diagnostic of S. spinosissimum: Head is curved. Spinous dorsal fin base straight. Soft dorsal fin base slightly raised. Spinous dorsal fin membranes red. Anterior margin of pelvic and anal fins white. Other fin rays are red. While character states diagnostic of S. tiereoides: Head is straight and pointed. Spinous dorsal fin base almost straight. Soft dorsal fin base not raised and spinous dorsal fin membranes vaguely red. Sequences of both species were submitted to the GenBank and Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) publication database which displayed 99%–100% similarity value S. tiereoides from GenBank and BOLD databases but, S. spinosissimum has not any deposited sequences from GenBank or BOLD. DNA barcoding based on COI gene was demonstrated as a powerful and useful molecular marker in the identification and differentiation of S. spinosissimum and S. tiereoides fish species.

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Quail is an important and interesting group of galliform birds. The Common quail (Coturnix coturnix); the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica); the Panda quail (Coturnix japonica); the Dotted white quail (Coturnix japonica) and the Bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) were used in this study. PCR-RFLP and SDS-proteins were performed to reveal the genetic characterization and genetic relationship of the studied quails. Analysis of fragments generated by digestion of PCR product with restriction enzyme NlaIII recorded highly polymorphic restriction profiles. There is a wide intraspecific COI, SEMA3E and TLX genes variability among the studied quails. Protein bands varied from10 to 18 between quails with minimum number of bands were in the Dotted

The present work aims to investigate the differences in the structure of liver and esophagus in five species of birds in Egypt having the same food habits.The birds under investigation are: water rail, spotted crake, little crake, common coot and common moorhen. Five birds were obtained from local hunters in Damietta, Egypt all of these birds are belonging to the same family (Rallidae)and all of them are omnivorous, but we found some difference after microscopical examination of liver and esophagus. The birds were dissected, esophagus and liver were fixed and stained for microscopic comparative study.The results revealed that there are some histological differences after microscopical examination to liver and esophagus in five species.In esophagus: Mucous glands are bigger in little crake than that in Rallus aquaticus,muscularis mucosa layer is thicker in Rallus aquaticus and common coot than that in Gallinula chloropus, inner circular in spotted crake is thinner that in Gallinula chloropus, and most thick in common coot. In Liver: Hepatocytes in common coot are polygonal in shape, have rounded nucleusand there are some sinusoids between hepatocords in liver and presence of secondary bronchial cavity in Gallinula chloropus and Rallus aquaticus.

Atelerix albiventris or the four-toed hedgehog is here reported for the first time from the south-eastern of Egypt (Gebel Elba). This species is greatly distributed across central and eastern Africa. The exact identification of species is fundamental for an efficient assessment of changes related to the appearance of non-native species in an environment. The biometrics and molecular markers were used to confirm the identification of A. albiventris at the species level. In the current work 757 bp and 668 bp were identified as regions of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b) and mitochondrial 12S rRNA genes, sequences of both genes were placed in the GenBank publication database (Accession numbers are KF783143 and KJ193305) and (Accession numbers are M95109, KF783175, AC175224 and AC160876) of Cyt b and 12S rRNA respectively. Furthermore, DNA barcoding is a widely used molecular-based identification system which aids in identifying species.

Chelon caeruleum sp. nov. is described as a new species of Chelon encountered in the Rashid coastal region of the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt. With this finding, the new species is the sixth member of the genus Chelon. Chelon caeruleum sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: colouration of body is dark bluish grey dorsally and the sides are blue; head length 20.5 to 21.6% SL; head width 13 to 13.5% SL; pre-first dorsal fin length 50% SL; eye diameter 4.6 to 5.2% SL; postorbital length 10.7 to 11.1% SL; unbranched pyloric caeca are 2 short and 4 long; a pair of long (one longer than the other), spine-like neural postzygapophyse on the second vertebra. DNA of Chelon caeruleum sp. nov. and five mullet species (Mugil cephalus, Liza carinata, Liza ramada, Liza aurata, and Chelon labrosus) was extracted then amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. The mtDNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I sequence analysis confirmed that Chelon caeruleum sp. nov. is distinct from other congeners of Chelon and it is a different species of Chelon which is new to science.

Species of the subfamily Holocentrinae, family Holocentidae, commonly called, squirrelfishes, are widely distributed from tropical to warm temperate waters. In Egypt, no data are available on genetic and evolutionary relationships of the family Holocentridae. Therefore, the study of the genetic relationship among Holocentrids species is crucial for proper management and convenient strategies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the genetic relationship among eight species belonging to the family Holocentridae from the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea in Egypt using DNA barcoding. Based on this molecular marker, a phylogenetic tree was constructed for the studied Holocentrids species. 12S rRNA sequences discovered that Sargocentron caudimaculatum was clustered as closest taxa to Sargocentron spiniferum, being a sister group to each other. Also, Sargocentron punctatissimum and Sargocentron macrosquamis were more related to each other and formed a sister group. Moreover, this study discusses the building of genetic relationship among Sargocentron spinosissimum and Sargocentron macrosquamis for the first time to the other studied Sargocentrons. DNA barcoding using 12S rRNA gene provided efficient DNA barcodes for all of the studied species. The constructed phylogenetic tree based on the employed molecular marker provided the update for the barcoded Holocentridae species evolution.