An environmental DNA sampling method for aye-ayes from their feeding traces.

ABSTRACT: Noninvasive sampling is an important development in population genetic monitoring of wild animals. Particularly, the collection of environmental DNA (eDNA) which can be collected without needing to encounter the target animal facilitates the genetic analysis of endangered species. One method that has been applied to these sample types is target capture and enrichment which overcomes the issue of high proportions of exogenous (nonhost) DNA from these lower quality samples. We tested whether target capture of mitochondrial DNA from sampled feeding traces of the aye-aye, an endangered lemur species would yield mitochondrial DNA sequences for population genetic monitoring. We sampled gnawed wood where aye-ayes excavate wood-boring insect larvae from trees. We designed RNA probes complementary

SUBMITTER: Aylward ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6194247 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature