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¹ Temple University, Department of Statistics, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
² ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, Odisha-751023, India
³ Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University, Department of Zoology, Ranchi, Jharkhand-834008, India
⁴ Birsa Agricultural University, College of Biotechnology, Ranchi, Jharkhand-834006, India DOI : 10.4194/GA998 Viewed : 30 - Downloaded : 38 Hybridisation happens a lot in Indian major carps, both in hatcheries and in natural water environments. This makes it very hard to maintain brood stock and keep the genetic integrity of native fish. Reliable identification of hybrids is therefore essential in sustainable aquaculture and conservation environments. The present study demonstrates the identification of an interspecific hybrid between rohu (Labeo rohita) and mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala) using a morphometric approach along with some molecular markers. Fish samples identified as rohu, mrigal, as well as their putative hybrids, were collected from markets across the eastern states of India. Analyses of morphometric measurements were performed using regression and clustering techniques to explore phenotypic differences among the groups. The morphometric analyses showed a marked difference in growth relationships for rohu, mrigal and hybrids, and cluster analysis successfully separated the three groups. Further analyses through sequencing of the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA indicated that mrigal contributed more to mtDNA, reflecting maternal inheritance in hybrids, while the contributions from rohu were greater for nuclear genes, indicating paternal contribution. The combination of morphometric and molecular tools, therefore, could work effectively in identifying hybrids, ultimately improving broodstock management and conservation practices for Indian major carps. Keywords : Rohu Mrigal Hybrid Morphometrics mtDNA 18S rRNA