Development of a Genetic Identification Tool for Five Amphibian Species

Frog populations have been declining worldwide since the 1980s. One major reason for the decline in amphibians is habitat loss. This is one reason why a method to rapidly assess habitat quality is useful; it can determine the quality of a wetland, for example, and provide warning signs of degradation. Wetland rapid assessment methods need to be validated by biological measures, such as the species abundance and species richness of amphibians, to confirm their accuracy. When species identification is difficult based on morphology, a genetic identification technique helps because it improves the accuracy and reliability of species identification. A Species-Specific PCR method was developed for five species of frogs: L. catesbeianus, L. clamitans, L. palustris, L. pipiens, and L. sphenocephalus. The catesbeianus primer worked well at 61°C, the clamitans 1 primer at 56.1°C, and the palustris 2 primer at 58.8°C. This technique worked well for three out of the five species, and this progress means that this technique should be pursued further