VENCES, M; THOMAS, M; VAN DER MEIJDEN, A; CHIARI, Y; VIEITES*, D.R.; Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Zoological Museum University of Amsterdam, Mauritskade 61, PO Box 94766, 1090 GT Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Institut f�r Genetik, Abteilung f�r Evolutionsgenetik, Universit�t K�ln, Weyertal 121, 50931 K�ln, Germany; Department of Biology (Evolutionary Biology), University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology (Evolutionary Biology), University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany; Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Bldg., University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3160, USA: Performance of 16S rRNA in DNA barcoding of amphibians

The identification of organisms through comparison of short DNA sequences has recently gained attention under the terms DNA barcoding or DNA taxonomy. COI and 28S genes had been proposed for DNA barcoding, however there is no consensus concerning wich gene or genes are more promising for this purpose. Under the Annotated Tree of Life for Amphibians project, the mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA are being sequenced for all the amphibian species. We have explored the performance for DNA barcoding of a fragment of the most commonly used gene in amphibian phylogenies (16S), and compared with the COI in a sample of amphibians. We present evidence that the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene fulfills the requirements for a universal DNA barcoding marker in amphibians. In terms of universality of priming sites and identification of major vertebrate clades the studied 16S fragment is superior to COI. Inter- and intraspecific 16S divergences in a test group of Madagascan frogs were at a level suitable for assignation of larval stages at the species and even population level. We advocate the use of 16S rRNA as additional standard DNA barcoding marker for vertebrates, especially when pooled samples of phylogenetically distant taxa are to be studied.