Sex Determination in the Near Threatened Guadalupe Fur Seal: Molecular Markers and Their Potential Applications

摘要: The determination of sex by simple observation is often difficult in marine mammals, even sexually dimorphic species. Moreover, there the practical necessity to determine samples that have been collected without handling or observing subjects. In these cases, a molecular assay for required. We adapted an targets zinc-finger region and based on single primer pair, Guadalupe fur seal, near threatened species has very limited breeding range. First, we validated with sample pups which determined direct during handling; second, compared it more recent assay, two different pairs and, finally, evaluated effect DNA quantity its reliability. tested produced excellent results was reliable than other one primers. Reliable were also obtained when only remarkably small quantities amplified. These show potential use this case non-invasive sampling, overly common situation dealing problematic conservation status.