IDENTIFICATION OF Viverricula indica USING MOLECULAR GENETIC TECHNIQUES IN DISTRICT SARGODHA, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Biodiversity loss risks include hunting, poaching, and illegal trade. Identifying species based on morphological characteristics is limited due to the difficulty of identifying the most traded species. Immunological hints are also limited. The main objective of this study is to utilize DNA-based identification methods to accurately identify and classify small carnivorous mammals, with a specific focus on Indian civet cats. DNA-based identification is a useful method, with the concept of a DNA "Barcode" developed mtDNA is the primary molecular marker used today to identify species, and molecular approaches offer a reliable tool for classifying animal tissues Field identification of small mammals remains challenging due to anatomical changes and pelage colors. The sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene confirmed the identity of the samples as Viverricula indica, with a 99.11% match to known sequences in the database. The phylogenetic tree further supported this identification, grouping the samples with other Viverricula indica sequences from different regions, indicating a close genetic relationship. According to the findings, the COI gene has a high potential for detecting carnivorous creatures