Fish DNA barcoding
Fish DNA barcoding is when scientists look at the unique DNA code in a small piece of a fish's tissue to tell what kind of fish it is. Just like how every person has their own unique fingerprint, every species of fish has its own unique DNA code.
When a scientist wants to do fish DNA barcoding, they first collect a small piece of tissue from the fish, often using a special tool that looks like a tiny hole punch. Then they extract the DNA from that tissue and look at specific parts of it called barcodes. These barcodes are like special markers that can tell the scientists what species of fish the DNA belongs to.
Scientists have created a huge database of fish barcodes to compare the DNA they find to, so they can quickly and accurately identify the species. This can be really useful for things like monitoring fish populations, detecting species that might be invasive or endangered, or identifying fish that are being sold in markets.
Overall, fish DNA barcoding allows scientists to quickly and accurately identify what species of fish they're looking at, just by looking at a small piece of tissue and analyzing its unique DNA code.
When a scientist wants to do fish DNA barcoding, they first collect a small piece of tissue from the fish, often using a special tool that looks like a tiny hole punch. Then they extract the DNA from that tissue and look at specific parts of it called barcodes. These barcodes are like special markers that can tell the scientists what species of fish the DNA belongs to.
Scientists have created a huge database of fish barcodes to compare the DNA they find to, so they can quickly and accurately identify the species. This can be really useful for things like monitoring fish populations, detecting species that might be invasive or endangered, or identifying fish that are being sold in markets.
Overall, fish DNA barcoding allows scientists to quickly and accurately identify what species of fish they're looking at, just by looking at a small piece of tissue and analyzing its unique DNA code.