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A PCR assay for gender assignment in dugong ( Dugong dugon ) and West Indian manatee ( Trichechus manatus )
Author(s) -
MCHALE M.,
BRODERICK D.,
OVENDEN J. R.,
LANYON J. M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
molecular ecology resources
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.96
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1755-0998
pISSN - 1755-098X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-8286.2007.02041.x
Subject(s) - biology , manatee , sexing , zoology , testis determining factor , fishery , heterogametic sex , genetics , y chromosome , gene , chromosome
Gender assignment for some aquatic mammals in the field is difficult. Molecular sexing from tissue biopsies is possible as males are heterogametic. Here we describe a multiplex PCR assay that amplifies the male specific SRY gene and differentiates ZFX and ZFY gametologues in two sirenian species, dugong ( Dugong dugon ) and West Indian manatee ( Trichechus manatus ). The assay was validated with animals of known gender and proved accurate and robust to experimental failure.