Detecting Mekong giant catfish using environmental DNA

For the discussion of catfish systematics. Post here to draw our attention to new publications or to discuss existing works.
Post Reply
Bas Pels
Posts: 2919
Joined: 21 Dec 2006, 20:35
My images: 1
My cats species list: 28 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 8
Location 1: the Netherlands
Location 2: Nijmegen the Netherlands
Interests: Central American and Uruguayan fishes

Re: Detecting Mekong giant catfish using environmental DNA

Post by Bas Pels »

Nice approach

As fish don't leave trails such as footprints or excrements fit for recognition, such as mammals do, knowing whether a very rare species is around is obviously hard. This technique might solve that problem - and in fact, it could result in an ending of sampling - just fetch water, analyze it for the known species and the trick is done.
cats have whiskers
dw1305
Posts: 1105
Joined: 22 Oct 2009, 11:57
Location 1: Corsham, UK
Location 2: Bath, UK
Interests: Natural History, Ecology, Plants, Biotopes, Taxonomy, Nitrification, Cricket & Northern Soul

Re: Detecting Mekong giant catfish using environmental DNA

Post by dw1305 »

Hi all,
They've trialled environmental mitochondrial DNA (eDNA) in ponds in the UK to see if they contain Great Crested Newts (Triturus cristatus) <http://www.enzygo.com/articles/great-crested-newts.pdf>.

cheers Darrel
Post Reply

Return to “Taxonomy & Science News”