Limitations of DNA barcoding in determining the origin of smuggled seahorses and pipefishes (2024)

Serite, C. P., Ntshudisane, O. K., Swart, E., Simbine, L., Jaime, G. L. M. (2021). Limitations of DNA barcoding in determining the origin of smuggled seahorses and pipefishes. Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments, 1, Article 100006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsiae.2021.100006

Serite, Conny P. ; Ntshudisane, Ofentse K. ; Swart, Eugene et al. / Limitations of DNA barcoding in determining the origin of smuggled seahorses and pipefishes. In: Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments. 2021 ; Vol. 1.

@article{27d4a60eed42445c9006e6c41f8a28b9,

title = "Limitations of DNA barcoding in determining the origin of smuggled seahorses and pipefishes",

abstract = "Seahorses and pipefishes are heavily exploited for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and less frequently for curio markets or as aquarium fish. A number of recent studies have used DNA barcoding to identify species sold at TCM markets in East Asia, but the usefulness of this approach in determining the region of origin remains poorly explored. Here, we generated DNA barcodes of dried seahorses and pipefishes destined for TCM that were confiscated at South Africa's largest airport because they lacked the export permits required for the CITES-listed seahorses. These were compared with published sequences and new sequences generated for Mozambican seahorses, with the aim of determining whether it is possible to identify their country of origin. All pipefishes were identified as Syngnathoides biaculeatus, a widespread Indo-Pacific species, but the published sequence data did not provide sufficient resolution to identify the country of origin. The same was true of the majority of seahorses, which could not even be identified to species level because they clustered among an unresolved species complex whose sequences were published under the names Hippocampus kuda and H. fuscus. The presence of a few specimens of a second seahorse, H. camelopardalis, suggests that the shipment originated from East Africa because the range of this seahorse is centred around this region, but it was not possible to determine from which East African country they originated. Even though seahorses and pipefishes have high levels of genetic population structure because of their low dispersal potential, DNA barcoding was only suitable to tentatively identify species, but not their country of origin. DNA barcoding is increasingly used to identify illegally traded wildlife, but our results show that more sophisticated methods are needed to monitor and police the trade in seahorses and pipefishes.",

keywords = "DNA barcoding, Illegal wildlife trade, Molecular forensics, Syngnathids, Traditional Chinese medicine",

author = "Serite, {Conny P.} and Ntshudisane, {Ofentse K.} and Eugene Swart and Luisa Simbine and Jaime, {Gra{\c c}a L.M.} and Teske, {Peter R.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Author(s)",

year = "2021",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/j.fsiae.2021.100006",

language = "English",

volume = "1",

journal = "Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments",

issn = "2666-9374",

}

Serite, CP, Ntshudisane, OK, Swart, E, Simbine, L, Jaime, GLM 2021, 'Limitations of DNA barcoding in determining the origin of smuggled seahorses and pipefishes', Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments, vol. 1, 100006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsiae.2021.100006

Limitations of DNA barcoding in determining the origin of smuggled seahorses and pipefishes. / Serite, Conny P.; Ntshudisane, Ofentse K.; Swart, Eugene et al.
In: Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments, Vol. 1, 100006, 11.2021.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Limitations of DNA barcoding in determining the origin of smuggled seahorses and pipefishes

AU - Serite, Conny P.

AU - Ntshudisane, Ofentse K.

AU - Swart, Eugene

AU - Simbine, Luisa

AU - Jaime, Graça L.M.

AU - Teske, Peter R.

N1 - Publisher Copyright:© 2021 The Author(s)

PY - 2021/11

Y1 - 2021/11

N2 - Seahorses and pipefishes are heavily exploited for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and less frequently for curio markets or as aquarium fish. A number of recent studies have used DNA barcoding to identify species sold at TCM markets in East Asia, but the usefulness of this approach in determining the region of origin remains poorly explored. Here, we generated DNA barcodes of dried seahorses and pipefishes destined for TCM that were confiscated at South Africa's largest airport because they lacked the export permits required for the CITES-listed seahorses. These were compared with published sequences and new sequences generated for Mozambican seahorses, with the aim of determining whether it is possible to identify their country of origin. All pipefishes were identified as Syngnathoides biaculeatus, a widespread Indo-Pacific species, but the published sequence data did not provide sufficient resolution to identify the country of origin. The same was true of the majority of seahorses, which could not even be identified to species level because they clustered among an unresolved species complex whose sequences were published under the names Hippocampus kuda and H. fuscus. The presence of a few specimens of a second seahorse, H. camelopardalis, suggests that the shipment originated from East Africa because the range of this seahorse is centred around this region, but it was not possible to determine from which East African country they originated. Even though seahorses and pipefishes have high levels of genetic population structure because of their low dispersal potential, DNA barcoding was only suitable to tentatively identify species, but not their country of origin. DNA barcoding is increasingly used to identify illegally traded wildlife, but our results show that more sophisticated methods are needed to monitor and police the trade in seahorses and pipefishes.

AB - Seahorses and pipefishes are heavily exploited for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and less frequently for curio markets or as aquarium fish. A number of recent studies have used DNA barcoding to identify species sold at TCM markets in East Asia, but the usefulness of this approach in determining the region of origin remains poorly explored. Here, we generated DNA barcodes of dried seahorses and pipefishes destined for TCM that were confiscated at South Africa's largest airport because they lacked the export permits required for the CITES-listed seahorses. These were compared with published sequences and new sequences generated for Mozambican seahorses, with the aim of determining whether it is possible to identify their country of origin. All pipefishes were identified as Syngnathoides biaculeatus, a widespread Indo-Pacific species, but the published sequence data did not provide sufficient resolution to identify the country of origin. The same was true of the majority of seahorses, which could not even be identified to species level because they clustered among an unresolved species complex whose sequences were published under the names Hippocampus kuda and H. fuscus. The presence of a few specimens of a second seahorse, H. camelopardalis, suggests that the shipment originated from East Africa because the range of this seahorse is centred around this region, but it was not possible to determine from which East African country they originated. Even though seahorses and pipefishes have high levels of genetic population structure because of their low dispersal potential, DNA barcoding was only suitable to tentatively identify species, but not their country of origin. DNA barcoding is increasingly used to identify illegally traded wildlife, but our results show that more sophisticated methods are needed to monitor and police the trade in seahorses and pipefishes.

KW - DNA barcoding

KW - Illegal wildlife trade

KW - Molecular forensics

KW - Syngnathids

KW - Traditional Chinese medicine

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U2 - 10.1016/j.fsiae.2021.100006

DO - 10.1016/j.fsiae.2021.100006

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85158975780

SN - 2666-9374

VL - 1

JO - Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments

JF - Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments

M1 - 100006

ER -

Serite CP, Ntshudisane OK, Swart E, Simbine L, Jaime GLM, Teske PR. Limitations of DNA barcoding in determining the origin of smuggled seahorses and pipefishes. Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments. 2021 Nov;1:100006. doi: 10.1016/j.fsiae.2021.100006