title: Blood meal analysis of tabanid fly after it biting the rare Sumatran rhinoceros.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate a noninvasive large mammalian genetic sampling method using blood meal obtained from a tabanid fly.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood meal was recovered from the abdomen of an engorged tabanid fly (Haematopota sp.) which was captured immediately after biting a Sumatran rhino in captivity. The blood was applied on to a Whatman FTA(®) blood card. Subsequent laboratory work was conducted to extract, amplify and sequence the DNA from the sample. Validation was done by sampling the hair follicles and blood samples from the rhinoceros and subjecting it to the same laboratory process.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BLAST search and constructed phylogenetic trees confirmed the blood meal samples were indeed from the rhino.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This method could be used in the field application to noninvasively collect genetic samples. Collection of tabanids and other haematophagous arthropods (e.g. mosquitoes and ticks) and other blood-sucking parasites (e.g. leeches and worms) could also provide information on vector-borne diseases.
authors.affiliation: Ex-Situ Conservation Division, Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), Peninsular Malaysia, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Malaysia (NRE), KM 10 Jalan Cheras, 56100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Jeffrine Japning
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Rovie-Ryan
authors.forename: Zainal Zahari
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Zainuddin
authors.forename: Wahap
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Marni
authors.forename: Abdul Hamid
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Laurentius N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Ambu
authors.forename: Junaidi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Payne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004175:Diptera / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D056727:Endangered Species; D005260:Female; D020387:Food Chain; D007214:Indonesia; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010527:Perissodactyla; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary
keywords: Blood meal; Noninvasive DNA sampling; Sumatran rhino; Tabanid fly