By designing new sampling methods, expanding reference databases, and developing new metabarcoding assays, this project will merge cutting-edge genomic technology with hands-on field biology to improve eDNA biomonitoring of reptiles. A specific focus will be given to the Pilbara where mining activity is overlapping with one of the most diverse reptile assemblages in the World.  

This project began in mid-2025 following the recruitment of a postdoctoral researcher (Dr. Josh Newton), who has now commenced work on the program. Current efforts are building momentum, with study design and fieldwork planning underway. There are also ongoing developments to align this project with Prof Allentoft’s recent ARC Discovery Grant (eGenomics) that seeks to implement whole genome sequencing in eDNA biomonitoring of reptiles. This alignment ensures that the outcomes will contribute both to practical monitoring applications in the Pilbara and to broader methodological advances in the use of genomic data for environmental monitoring. 

 Overview of expected outputs and outcomes  

A major component of the project is the creation of a mitochondrial genome reference database for reptiles. At least 100 complete mitogenomes will be sequenced, representing all major reptile lineages in Western Australia. This resource will underpin the design of new reptile-specific metabarcoding assays, significantly improving the detection and species identification of reptiles using eDNA. 

The project will also involve controlled experiments using snakes in custom made enclosures at Curtin University, to test reptile DNA recovery from different substrates such as soil, water, and artificial surfaces. These experiments will provide critical baseline knowledge on how reptiles deposit DNA in their environment and how it can best be captured. This work will feed directly into phase 2 where novel sampling approaches and newly developed assays will be tested throughout the Pilbara, to test the methods under harsh conditions in one of the most reptile diverse regions in the world.