Comparing iDNA from mosquitoes and flies to survey mammals in a
semi-controlled area
Abstract
Ingested-derived DNA (iDNA) from insects can represent a powerful tool
for assessing vertebrate diversity because insects are easy to sample,
have a varied diet, and are widely distributed. Despite these
advantages, the use of iDNA for mammalian detection is still little
explored, especially in the neotropical region. Here we aimed to compare
the effectiveness of mosquitoes and flies to detect mammals in a
semi-controlled area of a Zoo that houses native and non-native species.
We evaluated the number of mammal species detected by the iDNA samplers
and verified the distance range of each sampler group for detecting the
mammal species. To capture mosquitoes and flies we used CDC (Center for
Disease Control) and fish-baited plastic bottle traps, respectively,
distributed in eight sampling points during five days. Using two
mini-barcodes (12SrRNA and 16SrRNA) and the metabarcoding approach, we
identified 45 Operational Taxonomic Units from 10 orders. There was no
difference between the number of species recovered per individual
insect, although the number of flies captured was higher, resulting in
more mammal species recovered by this insect group. Eight species were
recorded exclusively by mosquitoes and 20 by flies, suggesting that
using both samplers allowed a more comprehensive screening of the
biodiversity. The maximum distance recorded was 337 m for flies and 289
m for mosquitoes, but the average range distance did not differ between
insect groups. Our essay proved to be quite efficient for the mammal
detection, considering the high number of species detected with a
reduced sampling effort. Thus, combining iDNA from different samplers
and metabarcoding can be a powerful tool for mammal survey and
monitoring in the neotropics.