Public aquariums offer an immense biodiversity in their living exbibits. A critical aspect of accessing the aquaculture potential of living marine collections has been the challenge of identification fish eggs from multispecies exhibits, particularly those from broadcast spawners. This presentation highlights the development and application of an innovative solution to this issue: an Open-Source Marine Fish Egg Catalog.
Initially spearheaded by Roger Williams University and the New England Aquarium in 2010, this project leverages DNA barcoding and photo-documentation techniques to create a comprehensive catalog of marine fish eggs. This initiative gained momentum in 2021 with the support of an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Conservation grant .
The process involves collecting, photo-documenting, and DNA barcoding eggs from marine fishes spawning in aquarium habitats. This approach has proved invaluable in environments where collecting fertilized eggs yields a high volume of specimens from various species, posing significant challenges in species identification and resource allocation for rearing. The DNA barcoding provides precise species identification linked with individual egg photos, facilitating the collection of morphometric data. To date, we have collected, photographed, and sequenced the DNA barcode gene (COI) of 238 fertilized fish egg samples, leading to the identification of 39 species across 13 families represented in the catalog.
This catalog serves as a vital resource for aquarium aquaculture professionals, enhancing our ability to strategically select and prioritize fish species for research and conservation efforts. The presentation will cover the tools and techniques employed in building this catalog, the practical applications of this open-sourced resource, and its implications for advancing our understanding and conservation of marine biodiversity.