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Poommouang A, Kriangwanich W, Buddhachat K, Brown JL, Piboon P, Chomdej S, Kampuansai J, Mekchay S, Kaewmong P, Kittiwattanawong K, Nganvongpanit K. Genetic diversity in a unique population of dugong (Dugong dugon) along the sea coasts of Thailand. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11624. [PMID: 34078973 PMCID: PMC8172547 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90947-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Dugong (Dugong dugon) populations have been shrinking globally, due in large part to habitat fragmentation, degradation and ocean pollution, and today are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Thus, determining genetic diversity in the remaining populations is essential for conservation planning and protection. In this study, measures of inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers and mtDNA D-loop typing were used to evaluate the genetic diversity of 118 dugongs from skin samples of deceased dugongs collected in Thai waters over a 29-year period. Thirteen ISSR primers revealed that dugongs from the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand exhibited more genetic variation in the first 12 years of the study (1990-2002) compared to the last decade (2009-2019). Dugongs from the Andaman Sea, Trang, Satun and some areas of Krabi province exhibited greater diversity compared to other coastal regions of Thailand. Eleven haplotypes were identified, and when compared to other parts of the world (235 sequences obtained from NCBI), five clades were apparent from a total 353 sequences. Moreover, dugongs from the Andaman Sea were genetically distinct, with a separate haplotype belonging to two clades found only in Thai waters that separated from other groups around 1.2 million years ago. Genetic diversity of dugongs in present times was less than that of past decades, likely due to increased population fragmentation. Because dugongs are difficult to keep and breed in captivity, improved in situ conservation actions are needed to sustain genetically healthy wild populations, and in particular, the specific genetic group found only in the Andaman Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anocha Poommouang
- Animal Bone and Joint Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50100, Thailand
| | - Wannapimol Kriangwanich
- Animal Bone and Joint Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50100, Thailand
| | - Kittisak Buddhachat
- Excellence Center in Veterinary Bioscience, Chiang Mai, 50100, Thailand
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand
| | - Janine L Brown
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Center for Species Survival, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Promporn Piboon
- Animal Bone and Joint Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50100, Thailand
| | - Siriwadee Chomdej
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | - Jatupol Kampuansai
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | - Supamit Mekchay
- Department of Animal and Aquatic Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | | | | | - Korakot Nganvongpanit
- Animal Bone and Joint Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50100, Thailand.
- Excellence Center in Veterinary Bioscience, Chiang Mai, 50100, Thailand.
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Pitakarnnop T, Buddhachat K, Pakdeenarong P, Nganvongpanit K. Elemental Distribution in Animal Carpal and Tarsal Bones Using Differences in X-ray Fluorescence Energy. Biol Trace Elem Res 2021; 199:874-887. [PMID: 32468226 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-020-02210-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Little is known as to whether different operating voltages of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) can affect the accuracy rate for species identification. Here, we have addressed this question by comparing the rate of correct species identification using the elemental composition of either the carpal or tarsal bone obtained from a determination of the different energy values of XRF at 15 and 50 kV using energy-dispersive XRF (ED-XRF). Carpal bones were taken from 16 species and tarsal bones from 11 of these species. The data on the elemental profiles were analyzed by stepwise discriminant analysis for species discrimination. The classification results indicated that 94.1% and 63.7% of the originally grouped cases were correctly classified as carpal bones using 15 kV and 50 kV, respectively. Additionally, 69.4% and 77.3% of the originally grouped cases were correctly classified as tarsal bones using 15 kV and 50 kV, respectively. When the datasets of the elemental profiles obtained using two operating voltages were gathered, the classification results of the prediction rate appeared to be more accurate at 89.7% and 90.7% in the carpal and tarsal bones, respectively. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the elemental profiles of bones obtained using two operating voltages could effectively facilitate accurate species discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanita Pitakarnnop
- Forensic Science and Criminal Justice, Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom, 73000, Thailand
- Animal Bone and Joint Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50100, Thailand
| | - Kittisak Buddhachat
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand
- Excellence Center in Veterinary Bioscience, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | - Pongpitsanu Pakdeenarong
- Forensic Science and Criminal Justice, Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom, 73000, Thailand
| | - Korakot Nganvongpanit
- Animal Bone and Joint Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50100, Thailand.
- Excellence Center in Veterinary Bioscience, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
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Cherdsukjai P, Buddhachat K, Brown J, Kaewkool M, Poommouang A, Kaewmong P, Kittiwattanawong K, Nganvongpanit K. Age relationships with telomere length, body weight and body length in wild dugong ( Dugong dugon). PeerJ 2020; 8:e10319. [PMID: 33240643 PMCID: PMC7666544 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to estimate age and determine the growth status of free-ranging dugongs (Dugong dugon) is vital to providing insight into the basic biology of this endangered species. Currently, age estimation in dugong carcasses relies on counting dentin growth layer groups (GLGs) in tusks, but a disadvantage is they need to be intact. We explored whether measures of telomere length could be used as an alternative approach to age estimation in dugongs given that in other species, telomere length and age are inversely related. In this study, relative telomere length (rTL) was measured by qPCR in skin samples from 24 dugongs of varying ages determined by counts of GLGs. In addition, relationships between age by GLG counts and body weight and length and were examined. Our findings indicate that age estimated by GLGs was negatively correlated with telomere length using the logistic formula with a rate of telomere attrition of approximately 0.036 rTL/year between the ages of 5-20 years. By comparison, both body weight and length were positively correlated with GLG-based age, with growth rates of ~8.8 kg/year for weight and ~3.58 cm/year for length, respectively. After that, growth rates slowed substantially and then plateaued. The results suggest that physical maturity in dugongs occurs at 20 years of age and that measures of rTL might serve as a tool for age estimation in dugongs, living and deceased.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kittisak Buddhachat
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
- Excellence Center in Veterinary Bioscience, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Janine Brown
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - Manthanee Kaewkool
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Anocha Poommouang
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | | | | | - Korakot Nganvongpanit
- Excellence Center in Veterinary Bioscience, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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As, Cr, Hg, Pb, and Cd Concentrations and Bioaccumulation in the Dugong Dugong dugon and Manatee Trichechus manatus: A Review of Body Burdens and Distribution. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16030404. [PMID: 30708981 PMCID: PMC6388294 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16030404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The death of dozens of manatees Trichechus manatus recently in Tabasco, Mexico, has captured international attention. Speculation about possible causes include water and food contamination by metals. Although federal authorities have ruled out water chemical pollution, the cause of these deaths is still awaiting conclusive laboratory results. Present work seeks to summarize information currently available on non-essential metals and those of great toxicological relevance in Sirenia (dugongs and manatees), highlighting its body distribution, presence in blood, and its relationship with their geographical distribution, gender and age, whenever possible. This paper focuses on the five elements: As, Cr, Hg, Pb and Cd, which are commonly considered as threats for marine mammals and reported in Sirenia. Some of these metals (Cr and Cd) were thought to be related to the recent deaths in Tabasco. All five elements are accumulated by Sirenia at different levels. Metal presence is associated to their diet but does not necessarily imply adverse effects for dugongs and manatees. Toxicological aspects and the human consumption risk in case of any illegal or traditional consumption in some cultures are discussed. Important toxicological research areas that need to be addressed are highlighted.
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