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DNA Barcoding of Confiscated Endangered Philippine Sailfin Lizard Hydrosaurus pustulatus (Eschsholtz, 1829)

Philippine Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
2020; 1(1&2): 01-06
Authors
Rogel Victor D. Mendoza and Ian Kendrich C. Fontanilla
Abstract
The Philippines, a known biodiversity hotspot, faces the threat of higher extinction rates due to disruptive human activities that include illegal wildlife trade. Among those species affected by these activities is the endemic Philippine Sailfin Lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus), which is currently listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the International Conservation of Natural Resources (IUCN). Proper identification of illegally traded samples could be addressed using DNA barcoding that uses small segments of DNA in confirming species identity. Cox1 gene has been used in DNA barcoding H. pustulatus. However, the 16S rRNA gene region, which is also commonly used as a marker for reptiles, is lacking in the species. Here, we demonstrated the use of DNA barcodes, specifically cytochrome oxidase subunit I (cox1) genes, in the confirmation of identity of illegally traded H. pustulatus and its possible geographic origin. We also provided novel 16S gene sequences together with cox1 gene to infer its placement within the Agamidae. BLAST results show that the generated cox1 barcodes matched with H. pustulatus (100%) found in GenBank. Furthermore, haplotype network analysis revealed that the confiscated samples were similar to the H. pustulatus haplotype found in Polillo Island. Phylogenetic analysis using concatenated 16S rRNA and cox1 genes showed that H. pustulatus clustered with a congeneric, H. amboinensis (ML Bootstrap=100; NJ Bootstrap=100). In this study, we demonstrated that DNA barcodes could aid not only in the proper identification of the species but also their possible geographic origin. This could be useful in providing data on hotspot areas of wildlife trafficking. In addition, the use of the 16S gene can potentially be used together with cox1 in discriminating between H. pustulatus and H. amboinensis.
KEYWORDS: DNA Barcoding, Wildlife Forensics, Philippine Sailfin Lizard, cox1, 16S
To cite:  Mendoza, RVD; Fontanilla, IKC.2020. DNA Barcoding of Confiscated Endangered Philippine Sailfin Lizard Hydrosaurus pustulatus (Eschsholtz, 1829). PJBMB. Vol. I, No. 1, 2020, pp. 01-06. doi: 10. 5555/pjbmb.ph.2020.01.01.01
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