IDENTIFICATION OF FISH SPECIES USING RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA(RAPD)

The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method was investigated as a potential fish species identification method. One hundred and sixte en specimens from eight species of fish were analysed. The eight speci es tested were barramundi, Nile perch, john dory, mirror dory, silver dory, spikey oreo, warty oreo and smooth oreo. The predominant species tested was barramundi; 80 specimens of this species were analysed. Of these samples, 42 had been individually verified by independent sourc es. The RAPD profiles generated were consistent within this group. The remaining samples were retail purchased and consisted of 24 imports a nd eight local whole small barramundi and six fillets. All of the whol e barramundi, including the imported fish, generated profiles which ag reed with the verified samples. Four of the six fillets purchased did not match the typical barramundi profile, three profiles, however, wer e consistent with those generated for Nile perch. Species-specific pro files were also generated for the other seven species analysed by RAPD . One john dory, from five fillets tested, did not comply with the six authenticated samples. All of the RAPD profiles were resolved by agar ose gel electrophoresis. Forty nine RAPD profiles including those that did not match were also confirmed by native polyacrylamide gel electr ophoresis (PACE) on a DNA sequencer. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited