A DNA Barcode Dataset for the Aquatic Fauna of the Panama Canal: Novel Resources for Detecting Faunal Change in the Neotropics

Kristin Saltonstall (), Rachel Collin, Celestino Aguilar, Fernando Alda, Laura M. Baldrich-Mora, Victor Bravo, María Fernanda Castillo, Sheril Castro, Luis F. De León, Edgardo Díaz-Ferguson, Humberto A. Garcés, Eyda Gómez, Rigoberto G. González, Maribel A. González-Torres, Hector M. Guzman, Alexandra Hiller, Roberto Ibáñez, César Jaramillo, Klara L. Kaiser, Yulang Kam, Mayra Lemus Peralta, Oscar G. Lopez, Maycol E. Madrid C., Matthew J. Miller, Natalia Ossa-Hernandez, Ruth G. Reina, D. Ross Robertson, Tania E. Romero-Gonzalez, Milton Sandoval, Oris Sanjur, Carmen Schlöder, Ashley E. Sharpe, Diana Sharpe, Jakob Siepmann, David Strasiewsky, Mark E. Torchin, Melany Tumbaco, Marta Vargas, Miryam Venegas-Anaya, Benjamin C. Victor and Gustavo Castellanos-Galindo
Additional contact information
Kristin Saltonstall: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Rachel Collin: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Celestino Aguilar: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Panamá, Panama City 0824, Panama
Fernando Alda: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Laura M. Baldrich-Mora: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Victor Bravo: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
María Fernanda Castillo: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Sheril Castro: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Luis F. De León: Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA 02125, USA
Edgardo Díaz-Ferguson: Estación Científica Coiba (Coiba AIP), Clayton 0843, Panama
Humberto A. Garcés: School of Biology, FACINET, Universidad de Panamá, Panama City 0824, Panama
Eyda Gómez: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Rigoberto G. González: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Maribel A. González-Torres: School of Biology, FACINET, Universidad de Panamá, Panama City 0824, Panama
Hector M. Guzman: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Alexandra Hiller: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Roberto Ibáñez: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
César Jaramillo: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Klara L. Kaiser: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Yulang Kam: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Mayra Lemus Peralta: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Oscar G. Lopez: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Maycol E. Madrid C.: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Matthew J. Miller: OIKOS Genomics, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates
Natalia Ossa-Hernandez: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Ruth G. Reina: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
D. Ross Robertson: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Tania E. Romero-Gonzalez: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Milton Sandoval: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Oris Sanjur: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Carmen Schlöder: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Ashley E. Sharpe: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Diana Sharpe: Environmental Science and Public Policy, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02138, USA
Jakob Siepmann: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
David Strasiewsky: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Mark E. Torchin: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Melany Tumbaco: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Marta Vargas: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Miryam Venegas-Anaya: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama
Benjamin C. Victor: Ocean Science Foundation, Irvine, CA 92604, USA
Gustavo Castellanos-Galindo: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon 0801, Panama

Data, 2025, vol. 10, issue 7, 1-10

Abstract: DNA metabarcoding is a powerful biodiversity monitoring tool, enabling simultaneous assessments of diverse biological communities. However, its accuracy depends on the reliability of reference databases that assign taxonomic identities to obtained sequences. Here we provide a DNA barcode dataset for aquatic fauna of the Panama Canal, a region that connects the Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific oceans. This unique setting creates opportunities for trans-oceanic dispersal while acting as a modern physical dispersal barrier for some terrestrial organisms. We sequenced 852 specimens from a diverse array of taxa (e.g., fishes, zooplankton, mollusks, arthropods, reptiles, birds, and mammals) using COI, and in some cases, 12S and 16S barcodes. These data were collected for a variety of studies, many of which have sought to understand recent changes in aquatic communities in the Panama Canal. The DNA barcodes presented here are all from captured specimens, which confirms their presence in Panama and, in many cases, inside the Panama Canal. Both native and introduced taxa are included. This dataset represents a valuable resource for environmental DNA (eDNA) work in the Panama Canal region and across the Neotropics aimed at monitoring ecosystem health, tracking non-native and potentially invasive species, and understanding the ecology and distribution of these freshwater and euryhaline taxa.

Keywords: DNA barcode; mitochondrial DNA; fish; zooplankton; vertebrate; invertebrate; environmental DNA; biodiversity; Panama (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C8 C80 C81 C82 C83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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