Dataset of arthropod specimen images and DNA barcodes in forest ecosystem of the Xinglong Mountains of Gansu Province

doi:10.17520/biods.2025409

Abstract

Abstract:

Arthropods play crucial ecological roles in forest ecosystems, including pollination, decomposition, and regulation of community structure. They are a key biological group supporting ecosystem stability and productivity. However, compared with plants and vertebrates, the systematic accumulation of arthropod diversity data remains limited, and baseline information at regional scales is particularly scarce. Here, we conducted a comprehensive survey in the typical forest ecosystems of the Gansu Xinglongshan National Nature Reserve during July-August of 2023 and 2024. Across 27 sampling plots, we collected 20,564 arthropod specimens using three complementary methods: beating, Malaise trap, and pitfall trap. Based on DNA sequencing complemented with morphospecies identification, a total of 1,060 arthropod species were identified. Among them, 669 species were identified to the species level, and 391 were classified as genus-level morphospecies, including 882 insect species (14 orders, 146 families, 551 genera), 164 species of arachnid species (3 orders, 21 families, 68 genera), and 14 species from other arthropod classes (4 orders, 5 families, 8 genera). This dataset systematically compiles a checklist of arthropod species, specimen images, and associated DNA barcodes, providing valuable support for rapid species identification, functional trait measurement, detection of cryptic species, biodiversity conservation, and ecological research.

Database/Dataset Profile

Title	Dataset of arthropod specimen images and DNA barcodes in forest ecosystem of the Xinglong Mountains of Gansu Province
Data author(s)	Dexi Zhang, Qian Zhou, Xuezhu Pei, Hongyong Zhang, Yingtai Pei, Shan Sun, Mingxin Liu, Lixun Zhang, Changming Zhao
Data corresponding author	Mingxin Liu (liumingxin@lzu.edu.cn)
Time range	July-August of 2023 and 2024
Geographical scope	Xinglong Mountains: 103°50′-104°10′ E, 35°38′-35°58′ N; Elevation: 2,300-2,800 m
File size	53.19 MB
Data format	.xlsx, .pdf, *.fasta
Data link	https://doi.org/10.57760/sciencedb.29873 https://doi.org/10.12283/lzu.mcsos.arthropod.FOREST.001.2025 https://www.biodiversity-science.net/fileup1005-0094/DATA/2025409.zip/
Database/Dataset composition	This dataset consists of five parts: (1) Species richness and number of individuals of arthropod orders by different sampling methods from 27 study plots, including forest types, plot ID, longitude, latitude, and altitude (.xlsx); (2) A checklist of 1,060 arthropod species (.xlsx); (3) Specimen images of 669 identified species (.pdf); (4) Specimen images of 391 genus-level morphospecies (.pdf); (5) DNA barcode sequence data for 931 arthropod species, comprising 1,133 sequences (*.fasta).

Key words: passive collecting, DNA barcoding, species checklist, cryptic species, forest ecosystem, arthropod

Dexi Zhang, Qian Zhou, Xuezhu Pei, Hongyong Zhang, Yingtai Pei, Shan Sun, Mingxin Liu, Lixun Zhang, Changming Zhao. Dataset of arthropod specimen images and DNA barcodes in forest ecosystem of the Xinglong Mountains of Gansu Province[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2026, 34(4): 25409.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2025409

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2026/V34/I4/25409

Figures/Tables 6

Fig. 1 Distribution of arthropod sampling plots in the Gansu Xinglongshan National Nature Reserve

Fig. 2 The three arthropod sampling methods. (a) Beating; (b) Malaise trap; (c) Pitfall trap.

Fig. 3 Exemplar specimen images of collected arthropods

Fig. 4 Order-level species composition of Insecta (a), Arachnida (b) and other classes (c)

Fig. 5 Comparison of species richness (a) and number of individuals (b) at the order level collected by different sampling methods

Fig. 6 Relative proportions of species richness (a) and number of individuals (b) at the order level across different forest types

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