From historical expedition diaries to whole genome sequencing: a case study of the likely extinct Red Sea Torpedo Ray

Torpedo rays (Torpedinidae, Torpediniformes)
are small to moderately large batoids
that produce an electric discharge. In the latest lists of living rays,
13 species are accepted in the genus Torpedo, including three of
doubtful validity and several recently discovered undescribed species.
Among the valid species is the critically endangered, possibly extinct,
Torpedo suessii Steindachner, 1898, the
Red Sea torpedo, of which only four specimens have been recorded in the
literature until now. Here, the extended specimen approach was applied
to re-describe and analyse the lectotype of T. suessii (NMW 88240) at
the Natural history museum in Vienna, that has been added to the fish
collection in December 1897. The approach included research of
historical information and whole genome sequencing with Illumina
technology from liver and muscle tissue followed by genome assembly and
phylogenetic analysies.

电鳐鱼（Torpedinidae, Torpediniformes）为一类体型从小型至中大型之鳐类，能产生电流。在最新的现存电鳐鱼名录中，已接受13种属于Torpedo属，其中包含三种有效性存疑的物种以及数种近期发现而未被描述的物种。在有效物种中，包括极度濒危、可能已灭绝的Torpedo suessii Steindachner, 1898，即红海电鳐，文献中记录的样本仅有四个。在本研究中，我们采用了扩展的样本方法，对保存在维也纳自然历史博物馆（NMW 88240）的T. suessii（1897年12月被加入鱼类收藏）的正型标本进行了重新描述和分析。研究方法包括历史信息的调研以及利用Illumina技术对肝脏和肌肉组织进行全基因组测序，随后进行基因组组装和系统发育分析。