What is "big cat DNA"? Are there not multiple species of big cat? Can a DNA test not be more specific?
Edit: Answering my own question about the methods used: The story links to Robin Allaby's page [1] about his DNA test service. That page says he tests for "the Panthera, Puma and Lynx genera". An older story [2] describes Allaby's methods: 450 PCRs and ~600 sequence reactions. "The team searched for two gene targets each of deer and canid, but over 30 different cat gene targets."
Comments
What is "big cat DNA"? Are there not multiple species of big cat? Can a DNA test not be more specific?
Edit: Answering my own question about the methods used: The story links to Robin Allaby's page [1] about his DNA test service. That page says he tests for "the Panthera, Puma and Lynx genera". An older story [2] describes Allaby's methods: 450 PCRs and ~600 sequence reactions. "The team searched for two gene targets each of deer and canid, but over 30 different cat gene targets."
[1]: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/lifesci/research/archaeobotany...
[2]: https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/research_i...