Non-destructive genome skimming for aquatic copepods

Abstract

Copepods are important ecologically and represent a large amount of aquatic biomass in both freshwater and marine systems. Despite this, the taxonomy of copepods and other meiofauna is not well understood, hampered by tiny sizes, cryptic taxa, intraspecific polymorphisms and total specimen destruction where DNA methods are employed. In this article we highlight these issues and propose a more up-to-date approach for dealing with them. Namely, we recommend non-destructive DNA extraction methods, coupled with high-throughput sequencing (HTS). Whilst DNA yields may be low, they should still be sufficient for HTS library preparation and DNA sequencing. At the same time morphological specimens can be preserved and the crucial link between morphology and DNA sequence is maintained. This is critical for an integrative taxonomy and a fuller understanding of biodiversity patterns as well as evolutionary processes in meiofauna.