Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42013141›Full record

ArticlePloS one2026

An overview of DNA barcoding of biodiversity in South Africa.

Mahlatse M Kgatla, Cassandra Barker, Janine R Baxter, Aletta E Bester-van der Merwe, Mamohale Chaisi, Albert Chakona, Michael I Cherry, Savel R Daniels, Louis H Du Preez, Charles R Haddad and 45 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Prospects for Complete DNA Barcode Coverage of the New Zealand Insect Fauna.Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

55 authors.

Mahlatse M KgatlaSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8846-4592
Cassandra BarkerDepartment of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6543-1125
Janine R BaxterSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Aletta E Bester-van der MerweDepartment of Genetics, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0332-7864
Mamohale ChaisiSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2365-1039
Albert ChakonaSouth African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Michael I CherryDepartment of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.
Savel R DanielsDepartment of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.
Louis H Du PreezSouth African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Charles R HaddadDepartment of Zoology & Entomology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa.
Peter G HawkesAfribugs CC, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0280-7871
Chris HoCentre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1609-242X
Thierry B HoareauDepartment of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Adriaana JacobsDepartment of Terrestrial Invertebrates, National Museum, Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6318-6514
Karin JacobsDepartment of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3972-5343
Charlene Janion-ScheepersDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
Bettine Jansen van VuurenCentre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
Ronny M KabongoSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Thembile T KhozaSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Nozipho L KhumaloSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6252-879X
Tendekai MahlanzaDepartment of Terrestrial Invertebrates, National Museum, Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa.
Lindiwe MakapelaSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Buyisile G MakhuboSchool of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1184-5362
Gavin W ManeveldtDepartment of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Bellvile, Western Cape, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5656-5348
Kagiso MashegoSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Gwynneth MatcherSouth African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6206-696X
Conrad A MattheeDepartment of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.
Mudzuli MavhungaSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6005-2935
John M MidgleyDepartment of Natural Sciences, KwaZulu-Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Musa MlamboDepartment of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Daniela M MonsantoCentre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4166-8368
Rungula MthombeniSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Shane L MurrayDIPLOMICS, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
Samantha MynhardtDepartment of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.
Brielle-Jennifer Nang-MbaSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Mduduzi NdlovuSchool of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Mpumalanga, Mbombela, Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Shilpa P ParbhuCentre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
Veronica PhetlaSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Metlholo PhukuntsiSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Tristan R PitcherDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
Toufiek SamaaiDepartment of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Oceans and Coasts Research, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
Carol A SimonDepartment of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.
Kerry SinkSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Catherine L SoleDepartment of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Genevieve L TheronDepartment of Terrestrial Invertebrates, National Museum, Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa.
Barbara van AschDepartment of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.
Michelle van der BankDepartment of Botany & Plant Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
Clarke J M van SteenderenDepartment of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Martin H VilletSouth African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4335-5667
Cobus M VisagieDepartment of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Kirstin A WilliamsDepartment of Natural Sciences, KwaZulu-Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Sandi Willows-MunroSchool of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Mamadi T SethusaSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
Jessica M Da SilvaSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8385-1166
Monica MwaleSouth African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2180-8917

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The global decline in biodiversity, driven by habitat loss, overexploitation, climate change, biological invasions, and illegal trade, poses significant challenges for conservation management. Although many South African ecosystems and species are under threat, effective conservation efforts are hindered by incomplete foundational biodiversity data and assessments, caused by taxonomic gaps and unverified distributions. DNA barcoding has emerged as an invaluable tool for species identification and classification of biodiversity. While substantial barcoding progress has been made, for many taxa, others remain underrepresented in sequence databases. This study evaluates the status and progress of DNA barcoding in South Africa through a gap analysis, comparing verified species checklists with barcoded sequences from the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) and GenBank to assess taxonomic and geographic representation. A literature review (2003-2023) highlights applications across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine habitats. Of the 931,476 South African species barcode records, 52% were publicly available. Although the insects dominated with the highest number of records and BINs, reptiles had the highest taxonomic representation. Plants and fungi were underrepresented (16.1% and 2.8%, respectively). Regionally, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces showed the highest BIN counts, while North-West and Free State provinces had the lowest. The majority of barcode records were for mtDNA genes such as cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and were contributed by both local and international institutions. Discrepancies between GenBank records and those mined by BOLD indicated that many GenBank sequences for South Africa have poor quality metadata, including geographic sampling locality information. While significant progress has been made across taxa, further efforts are needed to expand species and geographic coverage, enhance sequence quality, improve species metadata, and resolve inconsistencies in BIN assignments, particularly for underrepresented groups such as plants and fungi. These advances would strengthen biodiversity assessments and support conservation efforts in South Africa.

Indexed as

BiodiversityDNA Barcoding, TaxonomicAnimalsConservation of Natural ResourcesEcosystemFungiPlantsSouth Africa

Identifiers

PMID42013141
PMCPMC13098986

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.