Individual identification of Japanese serow based on the fecal DNA samples

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26440240
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: The University of Tokushima
• Principal Investigator: Yamashiro Asuka 徳島大学, 大学院理工学研究部, 特別研究員(RPD) (80645565)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: カモシカ / ニホンジカ / 糞DNA / 個体識別

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I established non-invasive molecular techniques for species, sex, and individual identification using fecal of the sympatric species, Japanese serow and sika deer. From screening 19 microsatellites using 52 tissues of two species, we selected 14 and 10 highly polymorphic loci for Japanese serow and sika deer, respectively. I collected 194 fecal samples in Tsurugi, Eastern Shikoku. First, I conducted species identification using two cross-species-amplifiable loci and sex identification based on a partial amelogenin gene sequence and identified 35 Japanese serow and 30 sika deer. In Japanese serow, 14 individuals (7 males and 7 females) were identified using 11 of 14 microsatellites. In sika deer, 19 individuals (11 males and 8 females) were identified using 9 of 10 microsatellites. This non-invarsive genetic technique using fecal samples should be useful to study the distribution, gene flow, sex ratio, and population size of sympatric Japanese serow and sika deer.

Free Research Field

生態・環境