Research Article Open Access

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Versus GenBank Molecular Identification of a Dragonfly from the UAE in Comparison to the Morphological Identification

Noora Almansoori1, Mohamed Rizk Enan2 and Mohammad Ali Al-Deeb1
  • 1 Department of Biology, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
  • 2 Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

Dragonflies are insects in the order Odonata. They inhabit freshwater ecosystems and are found in the UAE. To date, few checklists have been published for the local dragonflies and the used identification keys are not comprehensive of Arabia. The aim of this study was to provide a molecular identification of a dragonfly based on the mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase subunit I (COI) gene using the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database and the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) in comparison with the morphology. The insect’s DNA was extracted and the PCR was performed on the target gene. The insect was identified initially as Anax imperator based on the NCBI database and as Anax parthenope based on the BOLD. However, the morphological identification was in agreement with the one produced by the BOLD. The results of this study is a demonstration of how, in some cases, the DNA-based identification does not provide a conclusive species designation and that a morphology-based identification is needed.

OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences
Volume 19 No. 4, 2019, 237-244

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ojbsci.2019.237.244

Submitted On: 26 September 2019 Published On: 30 November 2019

How to Cite: Almansoori, N., Enan, M. R. & Al-Deeb, M. A. (2019). Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Versus GenBank Molecular Identification of a Dragonfly from the UAE in Comparison to the Morphological Identification. OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences, 19(4), 237-244. https://doi.org/10.3844/ojbsci.2019.237.244

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Keywords

  • Dragonfly
  • Anax imperator
  • Anax Parthenope
  • DNA Barcoding
  • COI Gene