Identifikasi DNA Barcoding dan Analisis Filogenetik Ikan Elasmobranch yang Tertangkap di Perairan Desa Faekhuna’a, Kabupaten Nias Utara

Abstract

North Nias Regency is one of the regions with diverse fish resources, including sharks and rays. The types of sharks and rays belong to the subclass Elasmobranch, which are characterized by having cartilaginous skeletons and are heavily exploited due to the high economic value of their fins. Therefore, the utilization of sharks and rays is unavoidable due to increasing consumer demand, leading to their endangered status and inclusion in the IUCN Red List. Consequently, there is a need for shark and ray management efforts to ensure their conservation. This research aims to identify the species, assess their phylogenetic relationships, and determine the conservation status of Elasmobranch fish caught in the waters of Faekhuna’a Village, North Nias Regency. The study was conducted between September and November 2023. Research methods included sample collection, extraction, amplification, electrophoresis, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. The research results showed that the COI nucleotide sequences of the Elasmobranch fish samples matched with a 95 to 99% similarity rate through BLAST GenBank analysis. These results categorized the Elasmobranch fish into two IUCN Red List categories: Vulnerable and Critically Endangered. Cataloging the species data and conservation status of sharks and rays is an initial step in their management, considering their crucial role in maintaining marine ecosystem balance.