Investigating the feasibility of using DNA from sloughed skin for individual identification and kinship analysis in humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)

摘要

Various methods of DNA collection have been used for cetaceans, including biopsy sampling, fecal sampling, and sloughed skin collection. Biopsy sampling is conducted with a crossbow or rie, which res a dart that briey penetrates a whale’s skin and blubber layer and extracts a small core of tissue for analysis. While this method is accurate and has minimal effects on individual whales (Clapham and Mattila 1993), it is invasive and can be negatively perceived by the public. Obtaining permits to undertake this sampling method can be difcult, as most cetaceans are protected by strict regulations. The collection of cetacean feces is noninvasive; however, fecal matter does not always yield high-quality DNA, and this method is by nature opportunistic (Parsons et al. 1999, 2003). While sloughed skin has been utilized for genetic analyses of cetaceans in the past (e.g., Amos et al. 1992, Clapham et al. 1993, Valsecchi et al. 1998), the possibility of misidentifying the animal being sampled has yet to be investigated. This is worthy of further examination as this source of DNA may have applications in answering long-standing questions regarding humpback whale reproductive ecology.