Identifying prey of the Javan mongoose (Urva javanica) in Java from fecal samples using next-generation sequencing

Abstract

The Javan mongoose (Urva javanica) is a mesopredator native to Java island that has been rarely studied. The limited information raises questions as to its ecological roles, particularly in terms of its effects on agriculture and biodiversity. These questions are critical as its congeneric species, the small Indian mongoose, has been listed among the 100 worst invasive species. To disclose its ecological function, a new approach that is capable of revealing the diet of the Javan mongoose at the species level is required. We conducted this study to identify the prey species of the Javan mongoose using next-generation sequencing methodology. Our study was conducted in a forested area of the southern mountains of Java, Indonesia. We collected fecal samples during the dry season of March–October 2018, extracting DNA using a QIAamp Fast DNA Stool Mini Kit. We performed Illumina sequencing using a 133 bp mini-barcode of the Cytochrome Oxidase I gene. Our rigorous analysis found 17 species, 14 genera, and 12 families of vertebrates and invertebrates in the mongoose feces. The greater bandicoot rat (Bandicota indica) and the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus) made up the primary diet of the Javan mongoose. Cricket, ant, moth, and fly species were also found in the feces. In effect, our results suggested that this species has a relatively diverse diet, one that includes mammals, birds, amphibians, snakes, fish, and many invertebrates. It confirms that the Javan mongoose has an opportunistic diet, which is most likely related to the availability of putative prey.