A size and taxonomic assessment of non-lethal DNA sampling of gastropods using Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards

Kelley Leung*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

57 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Sampling the DNA of rare animal species should have minimal impacts on individual health. This can be accomplished through non-lethal/non-invasive sampling. Few of these methods have been developed for invertebrates, including the Mollusca, which are in global decline. Tissue clipping the foot is a common non-lethal method for gastropods. However, it causes permanent damage and is inappropriate for smaller snails. This study used Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards to sample DNA from snail mucus for species of different sizes and habitat types, and across evolutionarily distant lineages. In a survival assay, the death rate of individuals sampled with FTA cards (12.1%) was greater than in the controls (3.7%), but the difference was not significant. Of 224 individuals representing 27 snail species (17 Hawaiian native, ten non-native) sampled using both FTA cards and tissue clipping, 80.4% of FTA samples and 91.6% of tissue samples amplified for COI, a significant difference. COI sequencing success did not differ significantly between the two methods. For individuals that failed to produce a COI sequence, an attempt was made to sequence 16S. For 16S, amplification and sequencing rates did not differ significantly between FTA and tissue samples. Habitat type and shell size did not affect FTA sampling success. Phylogenetically basal taxa exhibited lower success rates, but this may have been because of difficulty in sampling operculate taxa, and not because of identity. These results indicate that the FTA sampling is a viable non-lethal alternative to tissue clipping and can be used for diverse gastropods.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)45-61
Number of pages17
JournalConservation genetics resources
Volume16
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 22-Nov-2023

Keywords

  • Aquatic snails
  • Conservation genetics
  • DNA sequencing
  • Non-invasive sampling
  • Terrestrial snails

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'A size and taxonomic assessment of non-lethal DNA sampling of gastropods using Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this