Questioning the proverb 'more haste, less speed': classic versus metabarcoding approaches for the diet study of a remote island endemic gecko.

ABSTRACT: Dietary studies can reveal valuable information on how species exploit their habitats and are of particular importance for insular endemics conservation as these species present higher risk of extinction. Reptiles are often neglected in island systems, principally the ones inhabiting remote areas, therefore little is known on their ecological networks. The Selvagens gecko Tarentola (boettgeri) bischoffi, endemic to the remote and integral reserve of Selvagens Archipelago, is classified as Vulnerable by the Portuguese Red Data Book. Little is known about this gecko's ecology and dietary habits, but it is assumed to be exclusively insectivorous. The diet of the continental Tarentola species was already studied using classical methods. Only two studies have used next-generation

SUBMITTER: Gil V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6942681 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature