Marine mammal sex determination using epidermal tissue recovered from suction-cup tags v2

For many marine mammal species, minimal sexual dimorphism means that sex cannot be reliably identified through observation. Instead, genetic analysis of sampled skin and blubber are required to determine an individual's sex. Studies using suction cup tags on free-ranging whales may retrieve exfoliated epidermal tissue from the underside of the tag’s suction cups, offering a valuable source of genetic information. This study provides a protocol for tissue collection and DNA extraction from recovered tag tissue and describe the accuracy of PCR-based sex determination using these methods.