TaxaID™ · specimen identification

Species Identification (DNA Barcoding)

COI & group-specific markers Tissue · hair · feather · scats

Identify an unknown specimen to species by DNA barcoding — tissue, hair, feather or other biological material matched against reference libraries.

When a specimen cannot be identified by morphology — a fragment, a larva, a processed product or degraded material — DNA barcoding resolves it. We extract DNA, amplify the appropriate barcode marker for the taxonomic group (e.g. COI for animals), sequence it and match the read against curated reference libraries, returning the closest species with a confidence indication. Used in forensics, wildlife crime, food authentication and ecological casework.

How it works

  1. 01 Extract DNA is recovered from the submitted specimen: tissue, hair, feather or other material.
  2. 02 Select marker We choose the barcode region best suited to the taxonomic group (e.g. COI for animals).
  3. 03 Sequence The marker is amplified and sequenced to a clean consensus read.
  4. 04 Match The read is compared against curated reference libraries, returning the closest species and percentage identity.

Where it's used

Wildlife casework

Identify remains, fragments or seized material to species.

Food authentication

Confirm the species behind a processed or labelled product.

Ecology

Resolve larvae, eggs or material that morphology cannot place.

Forensics

Provide a defensible species attribution from trace material.

Sample requirements

A small piece of tissue, hair, feather or other biological material in a clean labelled tube. Tell us the suspected taxonomic group if known, so we can select the right barcode marker.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of specimen can you barcode?
Most biological material with intact DNA — tissue, muscle, hair, feather, bone fragments or processed products. Highly degraded or chemically treated material may not yield a result.
Which barcode region do you use?
It depends on the group. COI is standard for animals; we select the marker best suited to your specimen, so it helps to tell us the suspected taxon.
How confident is the identification?
We report the closest reference match with a percentage identity. A high match to a well-represented species is a confident call; sparse reference coverage for some groups can limit resolution to genus.