title: Field calibration of blowfly-derived DNA against traditional methods for assessing mammal diversity in tropical forests.
abstract: Mammal diversity assessments based on DNA derived from invertebrates have been suggested as alternatives to assessments based on traditional methods; however, no study has field-tested both approaches simultaneously. In Peninsular Malaysia, we calibrated the performance of mammal DNA derived from blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) against traditional methods used to detect species. We first compared five methods (cage trapping, mist netting, hair trapping, scat collection, and blowfly-derived DNA) in a forest reserve with no recent reports of megafauna. Blowfly-derived DNA and mist netting detected the joint highest number of species (n = 6). Only one species was detected by multiple methods. Compared to the other methods, blowfly-derived DNA detected both volant and non-volant species. In another forest reserve, rich in megafauna, we calibrated blowfly-derived DNA against camera traps. Blowfly-derived DNA detected more species (n = 11) than camera traps (n = 9), with only one species detected by both methods. The rarefaction curve indicated that blowfly-derived DNA would continue to detect more species with greater sampling effort. With further calibration, blowfly-derived DNA may join the list of traditional field methods. Areas for further investigation include blowfly feeding and dispersal biology, primer biases, and the assembly of a comprehensive and taxonomically-consistent DNA barcode reference library.
authors.affiliation: a Museum of Zoology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.|b Ecology and Biodiversity Program, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Ping-Shin
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: c School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.|d Monash University Malaysia Genomics Facility, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Han Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.affiliation: c School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.|e Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, and College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, 4870 Cairns, Queensland, Australia.|f Kenyir Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia.|g Rimba, 4 Jalan 1/9D, 43650 Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Gopalasamy Reuben
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Clements
authors.affiliation: a Museum of Zoology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.|b Ecology and Biodiversity Program, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: John-James
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D004175:Diptera / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D065928:Forests; D005843:Geography; D008296:Malaysia; D008322:Mammals / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D014329:Tropical Climate
keywords: Malaisie; Malaysia; cage traps; camera traps; filets japonais; hair traps; mist nets; pièges photographiques; pièges à poils; trappes