Parrots have been threatened by global trade to meet their high demand as pets. Controlling parrot trade is essential because parrots play a vital role in the ecosystem. Accurate species identification is crucial for controlling parrot trade. Parrots have been traded as eggs due to their advantages of lower mortality rates and more accessible transport than live parrots. A molecular method is required to identify parrot eggs because it is difficult to perform identification using morphological features. In this study, DNAs were obtained from 43 unidentified parrot eggs using a non-destructive sampling method. Partial cytochrome b (CYTB ) gene was then successfully amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. Sequences newly obtained in the present study were compared to those available in the GenBank by database searching. In addition, phylogenetic analysis was conducted to identify species using available sequences in GenBank along with sequences reported in previous studies. Finally, the 43 parrot eggs were successfully identified as seven species belonging to two families and seven genera. This non-destructive sampling method for obtaining DNA and molecular identification might help control the trade of parrot eggs and prevent their illegal trade.

Many parrots are considered endangered species due to threats from human activities. Gender determination is of great importance for biological studies and the conservation of endangered parrots. However, like other birds, gender determination in parrots is hindered due to the lack of external dimorphism between males and females. A molecular approach using the chromo-helicase-DNA binding protein 1 (CHD1) gene is commonly used for sexing birds. This study aimed to determine the gender of parrots from Korean zoos based on amplification and visualization of the partial CHD1 gene. The samples of 13 parrot species were collected from three different zoos in Korea and the extracted DNA templates were amplified using CHD1 gene primers. The gender of 27 samples of 13 species was determined by visualizing the PCR products on an agarose gel. While male parrots were indicated by a single band, female parrots were indicated by double bands. The findings provide additional information, which might be helpful for the management and care of parrots in Korean zoos.

DNA damage such as genotoxicity was identified with comet assay, which blood cell of a marine parrot fish (Oplegnathus fasciatus) was exposed to an acidified seawater, lowered pH gradient making of CO2 gas. The gradient of pH were 8.22, 8.03, 7.81, 7.55 with control as HBSS solution with pH 7.4. DNA tail moment of fish blood cell was 0.548 ± 0.071 exposed seawater of pH 8.22 condition, on the other hand, DNA tail moment 1.601 ± 0.197 exposed acidified seawater of pH 7.55 lowest condition. The approximate difference with level of DNA damage was 2.9 times between highest and lowest of pH. DNA damage with decreasing pH was significantly increased with DNA tail moment on blood cell of marine fish (ANOVA, p < 0.001). Ocean acidification, especially inducing the leakage of sequestered CO2 in geological structure is a consequence from the burning of fossil fuels, and long term effects on marine habitats and organisms are not fully investigated. The physiological effects on adult fish species are even less known. This result shown that the potential of dissolved CO2 in seawater was revealed to induce the toxic effect on genotoxicity such as DNA breakage.