Blog: DNA unveils new freshwater fish species in California
No doubt you have watched a crime show where DNA analysis reveals the identity of a victim or criminal. Or, you have read accounts of how Neanderthal genes are part of our DNA. It is still astonishing to think that such uses of DNA did not exist until the Human Genome Project, finished about 20 years ago at the cost of millions of dollars. Even more astonishing is that low-cost methods of examining the genome of any animal or plant are now available. … Moyle’s first venture into the genomic world, with postdoc Jason Baumsteiger as his guide, was to explore the genome of California roach (Hesperoleucus symmetricus), a small fish endemic to much of central and coastal California. They found that the single species recognized when they started was actually five species (Baumsteiger et al. 2019).
Related article:
- Interagency Ecological Program: Adventures in Bay-Delta Data: The other smelt – what about Wakasagi?