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The Tail Suspension Test
Published on: January 28, 2012
A mouse's tail: how to settle an insurance dispute
D S J Groenenberg1, R W R J Dekker
1Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis, P.O. Box 9505, Sylviusweg 70, 2333 BE Leiden, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands. Dick.Groenenberg@ncbnaturalis.nl
Forensic Science International
|December 21, 2010
Summary
Forensic investigation identified a mouse in a sea container as Apodemus sylvaticus. DNA analysis confirmed contamination occurred in the Netherlands, not China, resolving insurance liability.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Science
- Molecular Biology
- Zoology
Background:
- Insurance companies require pest species identification for risk assessment and liability.
- A sea container shipment from China to the Netherlands resulted in cargo loss due to a dead mouse.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the origin of a mouse found in a sea container to assign liability.
- To identify the specific species of mouse using morphological and molecular methods.
Main Methods:
- Morphological identification of the mouse specimen to the genus Apodemus.
- DNA barcoding using Cytochrome B (Cyt B) gene sequences.
- Utilized both internal and universal primers for DNA amplification due to specimen degradation.
Main Results:
- Morphological analysis was inconclusive for species-level identification.
- DNA sequencing revealed the mouse was Apodemus sylvaticus.
- Unexpected amplification of an A. sylvaticus pseudogene occurred with primers designed for A. draco.
Conclusions:
- The mouse originated from the Netherlands, not China.
- Contamination of the sterile goods occurred after arrival in the Netherlands.
- Molecular techniques, including pseudogene analysis, were crucial for accurate species identification.
