APPLICATION OF THE RAPD TECHNIQUE IN TILAPIA FISH - SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES IDENTIFICATION

Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was applied to three species of the tilapia genus Oreochromis and four subspecies of O. nil oticus. Thirteen random 10-mer primers were used to assay polymorphism s within and between populations. Different RAPD fragment patterns wer e observed for different species, although not always for different su bspecies. Evidence is presented that RAPD markers might be useful for systematic investigation at the level of species and subspecies.