Characterizing a species-rich and understudied tropical insect fauna using DNA barcoding

West Africa has high biodiversity that is relatively understudied, especially for insects. Studies of West African arthropod diversity can therefore help address important questions regarding conservation, ecosystem services, insecticide use, and other species-control interventions in agriculture and disease management. We intensively sampled arthropods in Ghana using complementary trapping methods, generated DNA barcodes, and classified sequences by Barcode Index Numbers (BINs), a species proxy. Using this dataset, we investigate assemblage composition, temporal activity patterns, and the state of regional biodiversity sampling.

Sequencing DNA from 95,996 individuals captured using Malaise, yellow pan, pitfall, Heath and Centre for Disease Control (CDC) traps, we identified 10,120 unique BINs. The rate of species accumulation did not approach an asymptote for any taxonomic group or trap type, indicating high biodiversity. The different trap types sampled different subsets of the local community, with the greatest similarity between yellow pan and pitfall traps. More insects and species (BINs) were trapped during the day than at night. Our dataset shared more BINs in the Barcode of Life Database with South Africa than with any other country, although this predominantly reflects the limited sampling and DNA sequencing campaigns in Africa.

This study more than doubles the published BINs for West Africa, offering insights into the biodiversity of an ecologically important but understudied taxon and region. Using multiple trap types allowed a more complete assessment of the local arthropod assemblage. The public release of these data will support and stimulate further taxonomic and ecological work in the region.