PHASE 1: BARCODING THE FAUNA OF CROATIA

WHAT IS DNA BARCODING?

Just as products in a store are marked with unique barcodes that form lines of different thickness in different sequences, a DNA barcode represents the sequence of nucleotide bases in a selected DNA fragment. These sequences are specific for each species. Different species have different DNA sequences, hence, the DNA barcode can be seen as a fingerprint of a particular species. DNA barcoding allows us to precisely classify an unknown sample into a corresponding already known species, regardless of the sex, developmental stage, and the part of the body that we have available.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF DNA BARCODING?

The purpose behind barcoding is that, based on the DNA barcodes of already described species stored in open databases, an unknown sample can be reliably determined by using molecular genetic methods.

WHY DO WE WANT TO BARCODE THE CROATIAN FAUNA?

Due to its geographic location in the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean Basin, the territory of Croatia represents one of European, and also global, so-called hotspots for biological diversity. Although the inventarisation of all species in Croatia has been declared a high-priority activity (Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy), the total number of animal species that inhabit the territory of Croatia is still unknown.

WHY IS THE CENTER FOR DNA BARCODING OF CROATIAN FAUNA LOCATED PRECISELY IN THE CROATIAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM?

Due to the enormous amount of precisely determined material of animal species stored in the world’s natural history collections, natural history museums everywhere in the world have a leading role in the initiative of DNA barcoding of life.

PILOT PROJECT: DNA barcoding of caddisflies (Trichoptera) in Croatia

Currently, the Croatian Natural History Museum is conducting the project of barcoding the caddisflies (Trichoptera) of Croatia. In the future, the project is planned to expand to the entire Balkans, since it is an extremely interesting area with great diversity and a large number of endemism.

PARTNERS:

ABOL – The Austrian Barcode of Life
http://www.abol.ac.at/en/