Communications of the ACM
Pangolin-Poaching Hot Spots Revealed by DNA Tests
Pangolins—also called scaly anteaters—are the only mammals with reptilelike scales, which grow from modified hair follicles. They are hunted for their scales.
Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
University of California, Los Angeles researchers developed a method for tracing the smuggling routes of pangolins, often poached for their scales, using DNA tests.
The researchers sequenced genomes from 111 tissue and blood samples from pangolins in nine countries.
After identifying around 4 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), a computer program selected 96 SNPs that identified five major populations, allowing the researchers to pinpoint the origins of 87% of the samples to within an average of 100 km.
From Science
View Full Article - May Require Paid Subscription
Abstracts Copyright © 2023 SmithBucklin, Washington, D.C., USA
No entries found