Forensic Species Identification: A Case Involving Trafficked Fish Maws and Shark Fins

Illegal wildlife trade and other forms of wildlife crime pose significant threats to global biodiversity. Accurate species identification of wildlife products is crucial for effectively combating illegal wildlife trade. In recent years, forensic species identification using molecular methods has gained increasing attention. Here, we report a case involving 1777 trafficked fish maws and 18,170 trafficked shark fins. We employed DNA barcoding for forensic species identification and a large-sample inference strategy for population estimation. A total of 325 samples (197 fish maws and 128 shark fins) were randomly selected for DNA testing based on their pre-classified morphological categories. Two DNA barcodes (COI and 16S) were used, and sequence alignment was conducted using the NCBI GenBank and BOLD systems. Phylogenetic analyses were performed based on sequences detected from the samples and reference sequences, with results consistent with the sequence alignment. Consequently, seven species were identified, four of which, corresponding to approximately 17,351 to 18,170 specimens, are listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).