Species Priority List

The list of approxiamtely 200 priority species for The Barcode of Life Project- South Africa was decided on last week at a meeting attended by various role players from UJ, SANBI and CBOL.

Plants represent the largest section of species of to be barcoded, with invertebrates and marine species coming in second. The remaining species on the list consist of representatives from fish, reptile, birds and mammals.

The selection was roughly based on the TOPS list, but further narrowed down during meetings by only selecting species that are threatened by trade, and not by other factors such as habitat destruction.

The list also focused specifically on species that are traded as parts and derivatives, which may be difficult to identify. For instance, a leopard pelt is easily and readily identifiable. However, certain species of beetles are not so easy to identify as adults, and then we have not even started looking at them in their larvae stage. Also certain plants, such as cycads, are stripped of their leaves during transport which makes identification much more of a challenge.

Animal and plant derivatives or powders, as are often found in South African traditional medicines, or muthi, also present an obstacle for taxonomists and can only be identified by DNA analysis.

Although not exhaustive, this list can be added to or revised at a later date as resources increase. For now, approximately 200 priority species have been selected for immediate DNA barcoding to assist in trials and prosecution of wildlife crimes in a court of law.