Ground beetle sequences DNA barcode (DP1.10020.001)

Ground beetle legs are subsampled from individual specimens collected as part of the Ground beetles sampled from pitfall traps (DP1.10022.001) data product. Up to 10 individuals per species per site for a total of up to 95 individuals per site per year are selected for barcoding. Beetles that are rare, particularly difficult to identify, or poorly represented in previous collection events are prioritized for DNA sequencing. Only beetle specimens that have been identified by an expert taxonomist are eligible for DNA barcoding. Leg tissue is preserved in an appropriate tissue vial and shipped to an external lab, where DNA is extracted and target sequences amplified via PCR. Barcodes of cytochrome oxidase I are generated per specimen. Instrumentation: