CRUX-12S Database vs. Combined Database
Comparing the CRUX-12S and combined database results demonstrated that the inclusion of novel voucher sequences allowed for species-level identification for 11 additional California Current taxa including Kelp bass (Paralabrax clathratus ), California moray (Gymnothorax mordax ), Opaleye (Girella nigricans ), Giant kelpfish (Heterostichus rostratus ), Ocean whitefish (Caulolatilus princeps ), and California halibut (Paralichthys californicus ) (Supplemental Table 3). The use of the FishCARD reference database also resulted in improved taxonomic classification for 4 species previously missing barcodes that were assigned to other native California Current fish species using the combined database (Supplemental Table 3).
Surprisingly, the inclusion of additional California Current-specific fish 12S barcodes also led to 10 ASVs receiving a less specific taxonomic classification compared to the CRUX-12S database alone. Ten ASVs assigned to the California native SeƱorita (Oxyjulis californica ) by the CRUX-12S database were only identified to the Family Labridae using FishCARD.