A Reliable and Cost-Efficient PCR-RFLP Tool for the Rapid Identification of Cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea

Leonardo Brustenga, Stefania Chiesa (), Silvia Maltese, Guia Consales, Letizia Marsili, Giancarlo Lauriano, Vincenzo Scarano, Alfonso Scarpato and Livia Lucentini
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Leonardo Brustenga: Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Stefania Chiesa: Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 00144 Rome, Italy
Silvia Maltese: Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 00144 Rome, Italy
Guia Consales: Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment (DSFTA), University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
Letizia Marsili: Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment (DSFTA), University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
Giancarlo Lauriano: Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 00144 Rome, Italy
Vincenzo Scarano: Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Alfonso Scarpato: Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 00144 Rome, Italy
Livia Lucentini: Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 24, 1-15

Abstract: Twenty-five species of cetaceans have been reported throughout the Mediterranean Sea, eight of them are commonly distributed in the whole basin and are regularly found beached or adrift in the sea. Stranded animals are frequently found in poor conservation status, preventing reliable identification; identification is thus often based solely on morphological features. Therewith, molecular tools are especially useful to provide taxonomic identification. In this work, a four-enzymes PCR-RFLP in silico protocol, based on a fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytb , has been designed for cetacean species occurring in the Mediterranean Sea. Moreover, beached or floating specimen samples belonging to the eight common species have been tested in the laboratory, providing evidence that this approach represents a reliable, cost- and time-effective tool for their specific identification.

Keywords: cetaceans; PCR-RFLP; Mediterranean Sea; stranded cetacean; adrift cetacean; molecular taxonomy; cetacean molecular identification (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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