# VoronaGasyCodes: A Public Database of Mitochondrial Barcodes for Malagasy Birds

## TL;DR

VoronaGasyCodes is a new database of mitochondrial DNA barcodes for Malagasy birds, aiding biodiversity studies and conservation.

## Contribution

The paper introduces VoronaGasyCodes, a curated database of mitochondrial barcodes for 142 Malagasy bird species.

## Key findings

- The database includes six mitochondrial genes for 142 bird species, covering 70% of Malagasy endemics.
- It was successfully used to identify 77% of hosts in an iDNA study of leech blood meals.
- The resource supports biodiversity insights, species discovery, and conservation efforts.

## Abstract

Molecular tools are increasingly being used to survey the presence of biodiversity and their interactions within ecosystems. Indirect methods, like environmental DNA (eDNA) and invertebrate‐derived DNA (iDNA), are dependent on sequence databases with accurate and sufficient taxonomic representation. These methods are increasingly being used in regions and habitats where direct detection or observations can be difficult for a variety of reasons. Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot with a high proportion of endemic species, many of which are threatened or endangered. Here we describe a new resource, VoronaGasyCodes, a curated database of newly published genetic sequences from Malagasy birds. Our database is currently populated with six mitochondrial genes or DNA barcodes for 142 species including 70% of the birds endemic to the island and will be periodically updated as new data become available. We demonstrate the utility of our database with an iDNA study of leech blood meals where we successfully identified 77% of the hosts to species. These types of resources for characterising biodiversity are critical for insights into species distribution, discovery of new taxa, novel ecological connections and advancing conservation and restoration measures.