A5055881999- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Crustacean biology and ecology
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Fish biology, ecology, and behavior
- Fossil Insects in Amber
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Mollusks and Parasites Studies
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Hymenoptera taxonomy and phylogeny
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Diptera species taxonomy and behavior
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Forensic and Genetic Research
- Subterranean biodiversity and taxonomy
- Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies
Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore
2025
National Parks Board
2022-2024
National University of Singapore
2008-2023
University of Notre Dame
2009
DNA barcodes are a useful tool for discovering, understanding, and monitoring biodiversity which critical tasks at time of rapid loss. However, widespread adoption requires cost-effective simple barcoding methods. We here present workflow that satisfies these conditions. It was developed via "innovation through subtraction" thus minimal lab equipment, can be learned within days, reduces the barcode sequencing cost to < 10 cents, allows fast turnaround from specimen sequence by using portable...
Most of arthropod biodiversity is unknown to science. Consequently, it has been unclear whether insect communities around the world are dominated by same or different taxa. This question can be answered through standardized sampling followed estimation species diversity and community composition with DNA barcodes. Here this approach applied flying insects sampled 39 Malaise traps placed in five biogeographic regions, eight countries numerous habitats (>225,000 specimens belonging >25,000 458...
Abstract Background The world’s fast disappearing mangrove forests have low plant diversity and are often assumed to also a species-poor insect fauna. We here compare the tropical arthropod fauna across freshwater swamp six different forest types (rain-, swamp, dry-coastal, urban, mangroves) based on 140,000 barcoded specimens belonging ca. 8500 species. Results find that globally imperiled habitat “mangroves” is an overlooked hotspot for diversity. Our study reveals species-rich (>3000...
Abstract We are entering the sixth mass extinction with little data for “dark taxa”, although they comprise most species. Much of neglect is due to fact that conventional taxonomic methods struggle handling thousands specimens belonging hundreds thus here propose a new strategy we call taxonomy”. It addresses (i) impediments, (ii) lack biodiversity baselines and (iii) low impact revisionary research. Taxonomic impediments reduced by carrying out revisions at small geographic scales keep...
This study asked whether reductive traits in cave organisms evolve at a slower pace (suggesting neutral evolution under relaxed selection) than constructive changes, which are likely to directional selection. We investigated 11 subterranean and seven surface populations of Sundathelphusa freshwater crabs on Bohol Island, Philippines, examined associated with improved food finding darkness (increased leg setae length) (reduced cornea size eyestalk length). All changes occurred rapidly, given...
Abstract Halting biodiversity decline is one of the most critical challenges for humanity, but monitoring hampered by taxonomic impediments. One impediment large number undescribed species (here called “dark taxon impediment”) while another caused superficial descriptions which can only be resolved consulting type specimens (“superficial description impediment”). Recently, Sharkey et al. (2021) proposed to address dark Costa Rican braconid wasps describing 403 based on barcode clusters...
The freshwater crab family Potamidae is classie ed into two subfamilies based on differences in the structure of eighth thoracic sternite; one, Potaminae, which distributed Europe, North Africa, Socotra island (Yemen), Near East, Middle northern India and Myanmar; other, Potamiscinae, occurs East Southeast Asia. Their distributions are quite distinct, overlapping only northeastern Myanmar. genus Potamon s. str. is, therefore, clearly absent from fauna
Biofouling has long been recognised as a major pathway for the introduction of non-indigenous species. This study records decapods and stomatopod crustaceans fouling semisubmersible oil platform dry docked hull cleaning in Jurong Port, Singapore. Of 25 species identified, 13 were represent new to Singapore waters. these, crabs Glabropilumnus seminudus Carupa tenuipes are known be invasive other parts world. The stomatopod, Gonodactylaceus randalli, is first mantis shrimp recorded biofouling...
The spread of nonindigenous species by shipping is a large and growing global problem that harms coastal ecosystems economies may blur biogeographical patterns. This study coupled eukaryotic environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding with dissimilarity regression to test the hypothesis ship-borne homogenizes port communities. We first collected metabarcoded water samples from ports in Europe, Asia, Australia Americas. then calculated community dissimilarities between pairs tested for effects...
Abstract Background DNA barcodes are a useful tool for discovering, understanding, and monitoring biodiversity which critical tasks at time of rapid loss. However, widespread adoption requires cost-effective simple barcoding methods. We here present workflow that satisfies these conditions. It was developed via “innovation through subtraction” thus minimal lab equipment, can be learned within days, reduces the barcode sequencing cost to <10 cents, allows fast turnaround from specimen...
As part of a Global Biodiversity Hotspot, the conservation Sri Lanka's endemic biodiversity warrants special attention. With 51 species (50 them endemic) occurring in island, freshwater crabs is unusually high for such small area (65,600 km(2)). Freshwater have successfully colonized most moist habitats and all climatic elevational zones Lanka. We assessed these relation to different (lowland, upland highland) based on both richness phylogenetic diversity. Three lineages appear radiated...
Abstract Here, we provide the first complete mitochondrial genomes for two higher taxa of Peracarida, Lophogastrida and Stygiomysida. We examined Lophogaster typicus as a representative Spelaeomysis bottazzii Both mitogenomes have all typical metazoan genes (13 protein‐coding genes, ribosomal RNA 22 transfer RNAs). The length 15,076 bp in L. 14,806 S. bottazzii. Gene order differs markedly from hypothetical pancrustacean/malacostracan ground pattern both species, , were encoded on heavy...
Trade in pangolins is illegal, and yet tons of their scales products are seized at various ports. These large seizures challenging to process comprehensively genotype for upstream provenance tracing species identification prosecution. We implemented a scalable DNA barcoding pipeline which rapid extraction MinION sequencing were used substantial proportion pangolin subsampled from 2 record shipments Singapore 2019 (37.5 t). reference sequences match the phylogeographical regions origin. In...
Abstract “Open ended” or “dark taxa” are species-rich clades that so abundant and diverse conventional taxonomic methods tend to struggle with the onslaught of specimens species. New approaches based on presorting putative species affordable barcodes may make tackling these taxa manageable. However, this will still require limiting geographic scope revisions, given most countries biogeographic regions have too many for comprehensive coverage. We demonstrate power approach by carrying out a...
ABSTRACT Most of arthropod biodiversity is unknown to science. For this reason, it has been unclear whether insect communities around the world are dominated by same or different taxa. This question can be answered through standardized sampling followed estimation species diversity and community composition with DNA sequences. approach here applied flying insects sampled 39 Malaise traps placed in five biogeographic regions, eight countries, numerous habitats (>220,000 specimens belonging...
Abstract Tropical freshwater invertebrate species are becoming extinct without being described, and effective conservation is hampered by a lack of taxonomic distribution data. DNA metabarcoding promising tool for rapid biodiversity assessments that has never been applied to tropical invertebrates across large spatial scales. Here we use comprehensively assess the benthic fauna Perak River basin, Malaysia. Specific objectives were to: (1) performance two protocols; (2) identify gaps in...
Abstract Parasites are ubiquitous, diverse, and have close interactions with humans other animals. Despite this, they not garnered significant interest from forensic scientists, their utility as indicators in criminal investigations has been largely overlooked. To foster the development of parasitology we explore parasites five broad areas: (i) wildlife trafficking exploitation, (ii) biological attacks, (iii) sex crimes, (iv) neglect animals, (v) movement travel. encourage growth a field,...
Abstract We are entering the 6 th mass extinction event on planet with scarcely any data for “dark taxa” that comprise most animal species. These taxa neglected, because conventional taxonomic methods not well-equipped to process tens of thousands specimens belonging here test a new protocol tackling these by simultaneously addressing (1) impediments, (2) lack biodiversity baseline data, (3) and low impact revisionary research. propose overcome impediments carrying out revisions at small...
Babesia is a protozoal, tick-borne parasite that can cause life-threatening disease in humans, wildlife and domestic animals worldwide. However, Southeast Asia, little known about the prevalence diversity of species present tick vectors responsible for its transmission. Recently, novel was reported confiscated Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) Thailand. To investigate presence this Singapore, we conducted molecular survey spp. free-roaming their main ectoparasite, Amblyomma javanense...