Background and Aim:Many avian species are considered sexually monomorphic. In monomorphic bird species, especially in young birds, sex is difficult to identify based on an analysis of their external morphology. Accurate sex identification is essential for avian captive breeding and evolutionary studies. Methods with varying degrees of invasiveness such as vent sexing, laparoscopic surgery, steroid sexing, and chromosome inspection (karyotyping) are used for sex identification in monomorphic birds. This study aimed to assess the utility of a non-invasive molecular marker for gender identification in a variety of captive monomorphic birds, as a strategy for conservation.Materials and Methods:DNA was isolated from feather samples from 52 individuals representing 16 species of 11 families indigenous to both Indonesia and elsewhere. We amplified the chromodomain helicase DNA-binding (CHD) gene using polymerase chain reaction with MP, NP, and PF primers to amplify introns with lengths that differ between the CHD-W and the CHD-Z genes, allowing sex discrimination because the W chromosome is exclusively present in females.Results:Molecular bird sexing confirmed 33 females and 19 males with 100% accuracy. We used sequencing followed by alignment on one protected bird species (Probosciger aterrimus).Conclusion:Sex identification may be accomplished noninvasively in birds, because males only have Z sex chromosomes, whereas females have both Z and W chromosomes. Consequently, the presence of a W-unique DNA sequence identifies an individual as female. Sexing of birds is vital for scientific research, and to increase the success rate of conservation breeding programs.
Abstract. Wibowo DS, Widiyanti R, Asvan M, Restanti PD, Wijayanto H. 2021. Short Communication: Molecular study on mt-DNA COX2 gene of Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus). Biodiversitas 22: 1063-1068. Sumatran elephant is the only subspecies of Asian elephants that receives a critically endangered status from the International Union for Conservation and Nature Resources (IUCN). Identifying the genetic marker of Sumatran elephants is, therefore, important for their conservation. This study aimed to identify the Sumatran elephant based on specific mitochondrial DNA markers of the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COX2) gene. It is an exploratory research considering the limited data and research about the genetic, especially the COX2 of Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus). Forward and reverse sequencing of PCR products was conducted using the primary COX2 from Sumatran elephant samples. The results of the subsequent gene sequencing were aligned with the sequences of other Asian elephants from Genbank using Clustal W software and analyzed using the MEGA program version 6.06. The analysis of genetic distance based on COX2 constituent nucleotides calculated with Kimura’s two-parameter method showed that the genetic distance between Elephas maximus sumatranus and Elephas maximus outside of Sumatra was 0.25%. The phylogenetic trees analyzed using the maximum-likelihood based on nucleotide sequences showed a high homogeneity. The ratio of Elephas maximus sumatranus with Elephas maximus shows levels of nucleotide mutations which are nine nucleotides and four nucleotides. These results indicated that the COX2 gene could not identify the individual species of Sumatran elephant because of the high intraspecies homogeneity, but it detected the interspecies divergence clustered in Asian elephant clade.
Abstract. Wijayanto H, Wibowo DS, Widayanti R, Pangestiningsih TW, Wendo WD, Asvan M, Gunawan AS, Wirabrata M. 2021. Short Communication: The correlation between foot circumference with the body length, shoulder height, and pelvic width in Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus). Biodiversitas 22: 2635-2640. Sumatran elephants' body measurement is essential in conservation practices to perceive health status and determining medication doses. Considering elephants' size, the mahouts doing the recording can easily get harmed during their interaction with their animal. Therefore, easier method to shortening interaction time is urgently needed in estimating elephants' size. The aim of the research is to find out the correlations between forefoot and hindfoot circumference (FFC and HFC) with the body length (BL), shoulder height (SH), and pelvic width (PW) in Sumatran elephants. The correlation formula will very much reduce the time needed to measure the elephant size, since the mahouts only need to measure the foot circumference left by the elephant on the ground to predict BL, SH, and PW. The anatomical data were collected from adult elephants in Aceh, Safari Park Indonesia, Gembira Loka Zoo, Borobudur Park, and PLG Duri Pekanbaru. Measurements were done using modified Vernier calipers and roll meters, referring to standardized methods. The data then calculated using correlation and linear-regression test. From the results, we found that the FFC has very strong correlation with SH (R=0.809) and strong correlations with BL (R=0.769) and PW(R=0.73). Results from the HFC show very strong correlation with PW (R=0.826) and strong correlations with BL (R=0.775) and SH (R=0.747). In the conclusion, the foot circumference is very useful to predict the elephant's size and can much reduce the mahouts' risk by minimizing interaction time needed in elephant’s body measurement. For the field researcher, they are not necessary to meet with the elephants to predict the elephant’s size in the wild.
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