DNA-based characterization of rays (Elasmobranchii: Batoidea) from Bangladesh using mitochondrial markers: Implications for conservation and management

Rays are an iconic group of chondrichthyan fishes, with many species currently threatened with extinction. Although conservation laws exist in Bangladesh to protect their population, lack of comprehensive law enforcement strategies together with commercial exploitation and habitat destruction resulted in population decline of many species nonetheless. One significant challenge to this conservation effort is a rapid and authentic species identification strategy, as traditional morphological diagnosis is hindered by frequent misidentification, especially when species are morphologically similar or when specimens are damaged or missing key features. The emergence of DNA barcoding technique can overcome this barrier, requiring only a small tissue sample for authentic identification. In the present study, this state-of-the-art technique has been employed for species identification of rays using…