DNA Barcoding: Error Rates Based on Comprehensive Sampling

DNA barcoding has attracted attention with promises to aid in species identification and discovery; however, few well-sampled datasets are available to test its performance. We provide the first examination of barcoding performance in a comprehensively sampled, diverse group (cypraeid marine gastropods, or cowries). We utilize previous methods for testing performance and employ a novel phylogenetic approach to calculate intraspecific variation and interspecific divergence. Error rates are estimated for (1) identifying samples against a well-characterized phylogeny, and (2) assisting in species discovery for partially known groups. We find that the lowest overall error for species identification is 4%. In…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 9807316, 0196049, 0221382
• CO
  Conchologists of America
• NI
  National Institutes of Health
• UO
  University of California Museum of Paleontology