SPECIES CHECKLIST AND DNA BARCODING OF CEPHALOPODS FROM PULAU TINGGI, JOHOR, MALAYSIA

Cephalopods are one of the protein sources in fisheries and their unique look inspires humans in many aspects from arts to engineering. However, there was a lack of studies on cephalopod species presence and genetics in Malaysia especially in the waters of Johor. Therefore, this study aimed to document the species checklist of coastal cephalopods in Pulau Tinggi, Mersing, Johor. The sampling was limited to the coastal area of Kampung Tanjung Balang, Pulau Tinggi. The specimens of cephalopods were obtained through handpicking (for the octopus) and from the local people (for the squids). In this study, the initial species identification of the cephalopod specimens was done based on their morphological characteristics. Their tissue samples were then prepared for DNA sequencing for further species identification using cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene sequences. The morphological identification and the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) analysis results suggested their species status as Octopus laqueus, Sepioteuthis lessoniana and Uroteuthis (Photololigo) chinensis. In conclusion, this study has contributed to the latest update on the checklist of cephalopod species in Pulau Tinggi. Furthermore, adding the COI gene sequences of the local cephalopods in the GenBank database (Accession No.: MN711655-MN711658) will act as a new resource for future research on cephalopod species.