DNA barcoding to identify species of sharks exploited commercially on the coast São Paulo

• Grant number: 14/00552-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Data de Início da vigência: April 01, 2014
• Data de Término da vigência: February 29, 2016
• Área de conhecimento: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Porto-Foresti
• Grantee: Maíce Giovanini Ramos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Rays and sharks form the group of elasmobranchs and they are among the most evolutionary success of vertebrates, with a life story that began about 400 million years. Can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including inland waters, coastal areas, estuaries, and open ocean to the deep ocean regions. The control currently no overfishing is the biggest threat to these populations, and some species are at serious risk of overfishing and other even endangered. This project aims at monitoring the artisanal/industrial fishing of sharks in the main landing points of fishing the coast of São Paulo, checking the reliability of fishery statistical data obtained by Competent authority that oversees fishing, and propose a plan for the management and conservation of these species that are fundamental to the maintenance and protection of marine biodiversity. For this, molecular analyzes will be performed through the extraction and purification of total DNA from specimens obtained from samples of muscle tissue. Subsequently, in a second step we will identify the samples using the technique of DNA Barcoding by sequencing the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene. Furthermore, we checked dubious samples through PCR-RFLP and PCR-Multiplex techniques using nuclear and mitochondrial genes for genetic identification of specimens, thus evaluating the capture and trade of sharks in the coastal Paulista region. However, the difficulties in morphological identification of many shark species exploited by fisheries associated with quite usual practice of removing the head and fins of animals, most times even before landing, has resulted in a global shortage of information about capturing and trading, making it nearly impossible to assess their effects. So besides the characterization of regional fisheries exploitation development of molecular identification techniques may enable more comprehensive statistics determining the levels of exploitation by species and allowing the implementation of management plans and the ordination of fisheries exploitation. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

RAMOS, Maíce Giovanini. Identification of species of sharks, through DNA Barcoding commercially exploited in the coast of São Paulo. 2016. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Biociências. Botucatu Botucatu.