Experts putting together a ‘telephone directory of species’ are meeting this week in Taipei, Taiwan. A database of so-called DNA barcodes could allow scientists to rapidly and cheaply identify species from samples. This could assist in clamping down on illegally traded rare species, keep dangerous products and contaminants out of the food chain and revolutionise biology research.

The idea involves using a short DNA sequence from an agreed-upon position in the genome for species-level identification. David Schindel, executive secretary of the Consortium for the Barcode of Life, said a global reference library would be “a kind of telephone directory for all species” (AP). Barcoders are already working with the US Food and Drug Administration on applications ranging from fighting illegal imports to understanding animal migrations (Reuters). On a similar note AFP says mislabelled fish could be a thing of the past thanks to barcoding – a good thing if the fish in question is potentially deadly pufferfish.

“DNA barcoding is emerging as a global standard for identifying species in basic taxonomic research, biodiversity studies and in government regulation,” Schindel told UPI. That view has been controversial in the past. Earlier this year Nature reported on attempts to sort a row over whether barcoding missed crucial information about organisms. That row has been going since the concept was first mooted (subscription required).

A good background piece in the Toronto Star notes that 31,000 species have been coded since the concept of genetic barcoding was published in 2003. In a blog post from the conference The Scientist says we have thus far identified only about 1.8 million of the estimated 10 million species on our planet and barcodes could help with this. A second blog post is almost entirely about Taiwanese street cuisine.

Image: Getty