An epigenetic DNA methylation clock for age estimates in Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus).

ABSTRACT: Knowledge of an animal's chronological age is crucial for understanding and predicting population demographics, survival and reproduction, but accurate age determination for many wild animals remains challenging. Previous methods to estimate age require invasive procedures, such as tooth extraction to analyse growth layers, which are difficult to carry out with large, mobile animals such as cetaceans. However, recent advances in epigenetic methods have opened new avenues for precise age determination. These 'epigenetic clocks' present a less invasive alternative and can provide age estimates with unprecedented accuracy. Here, we present a species-specific epigenetic clock based on skin tissue samples for a population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in Shark Ba

SUBMITTER: Peters KJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9850008 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature