Genetic divergence in natural populations of bronze featherback, Notopterus notopterus (Osteoglossiformes: Notopteridae) from five Indian rivers, analyzed through mtDNA ATPase6/8 regions

• The present study analyzed 842 bp fragment of mitochondrial ATPase6/8 genes in N. notopterus.
• Analysis indicated high genetic diversity with 23 haplotypes.
• The Fst value of 0.582 for total population was found significant (P < 0.05).
• Five genetically distinct stocks of N. notopterus found in rivers of India.

The present study characterized 842 bp fragment of mitochondrial ATP synthase 6 and 8 (ATPase6/8) genes in Notopterus notopterus. In all, 97 samples of N. notopterus were collected from five distant rivers; viz Satluj, Gomti, Yamuna, Brahmaputra and Mahanadi representing 4 river basins in India. The analysis of variation revealed presence of 23 haplotypes in ATPase6/8 gene with haplotype diversity (Hd) of 0.899 and nucleotide diversity (π) of 0.00336. The within population variation which was 41.78% of the total variation of 58.22% was found among population. The Fst value of 0.582 (P < 0.05) of the total population was found significant. The results concluded that the polymorphism in ATPase6/8 gene is a potential marker that is important for determining genetic divergence of wild N. notopterus populations. The findings reveal common ancestry of mahanadi population with the populations in rivers of Indo-Gangetic region. However, long evolutionary isolation must be responsible for the high genetic divergence between N. notopterus in Mahanadi and other regions.