Haplotyping cryptic Adélie penguin taxa using low-cost, high-resolution melt curves

Distinguishing morphologically cryptic taxa, by definition, requires genetic data such as DNA sequences. However, DNA sequences may not be obtained easily for taxa from remote sites. Here we provide the details of a high-resolution melt-curve-based method using taxon-specific primers that can distinguish two taxa of Adélie penguins, and that will be usable in Antarctica when combined with some of the newly developed field-deployable thermal cyclers. We suggest that the wider adoption of field-deployable polymerase-chain-reaction-based techniques will enable faster assignation of haplotype to individuals in situ, and so allow the targeting of observations and sample collection to specimens relevant to the research question. Targeting individuals will also reduce the need to repeatedly handle animals and reduce the time and travel required to complete field work.从定义上讲，区分形态隐存类群（morphologically cryptic taxa）需要诸如DNA序列之类的遗传数据。然而，对于来自偏远采样点的类群而言，获取DNA序列并非易事。本研究提供了一种基于高分辨率熔解曲线（high-resolution melt-curve）的方法细节，该方法使用类群特异性引物（taxon-specific primers），可区分两种阿德利企鹅（Adélie penguins）；搭配部分新近开发的可现场部署热循环仪后，该方法可在南极地区使用。我们认为，更广泛地推广基于聚合酶链式反应（polymerase-chain-reaction）的可现场部署技术，将能够在野外现场更快地为个体匹配单倍型（haplotype），从而可将观测与样本采集的目标锁定为与研究问题相关的标本。精准锁定个体还能减少反复接触动物的必要，同时缩短野外工作所需的时间与行程成本。