Inventory of shallow coastal infaunal and cryptic decapod crustaceans: Development of faunal monitoring method using eDNA metabarcoding

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K07494
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biodiversity/Systematics
• Research Institution: Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba
• Principal Investigator: Komai Tomoyuki 千葉県立中央博物館, その他部局等, 研究員(移行) (20260242)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 宮 正樹 千葉県立中央博物館, その他部局等, 研究員(移行) (30250137)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 環境DNA / 十脚目甲殻類 / 分類 / プライマー / 16S rRNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to document local fauna, field investigation and subsequent identification process have been necessary. In particular, for aquatic fauna, various sampling methods, for example, SCUBA diving in sublittoral waters, or various kinds of sampling gears (dredges, trawls, tangle nets, gill nets), have been yielded generally. Furthermore, identification process requires deep experience and knowledge on various taxonomic groups by specialists. In this project, a protocol for environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding for decapod Crustacea has been developed. A new set of PCR primers for this purpose (MiDeca) was successfully developed. eDNA metabarcoding using the set of primers successfully detected multiple species from natural seawaters in volume of 2 little. As with standard DNA barcoding, significantly more taxonomic work, including building of verified reference sequence databases, is necessary to optimise the effectiveness of eDNA approaches.

Free Research Field

生物多様性

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回開発した技術では、１回の分析で1,000サンプル以上（1,000箇所以上の水）のデータを得ることが可能であり、ある場所にどんなエビ・カニ類がいるのか調べることが大幅に簡略化されることが期待される。さらに、深海や未踏の地など生物相が明らかになっていない水域で調査を行えば、未知の種類を検出する可能性が高い。あるいは、これまでに知られていた種類でも新しい生息地を発見することが可能になると考えられる。環境アセスメントや外来種のモニタリングなど、今後幅広く応用されることが期待される。