Genetic and shell-shape analyses of Orlitia borneensis (Testudines: Geoemydidae) reveal limited divergence among founders of the European zoo population

Abstract

The Malaysian Giant Turtle (Orlitia borneensis) is a poorly known turtle with rapidly decreasing numbers in nature in spite of its strong protection on paper. Most individuals of this species kept in European zoos and included in captive breeding programs are confiscates from the illegal trade for food consumption and their geographic provenance is unknown. This study was aimed to assess genetic and phenotypic variation of the founders of this captive population. We sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and found 23 haplotypes. We constructed a haplotype network and examined demographic changes by Bayesian skyline plots of the effective population size. The maximum sequence divergence was less than 1.5% and the phylogenetic structure of the haplotypes was supported poorly. A close genetic similarity among sampled turtles was further confirmed by sequencing the nuclear R35 gene, while the geometric morphometrics of the shell-shape were likewise similar. Thus, the examined captive population of O. borneensis may be further treated as a single conservation unit.

The utility of plastron shape for uncovering cryptic diversity in Hermann's tortoise

“…Therefore, quantitative analysis of the shape of morphological structures is a promising tool for taxonomists and systematicians, still remaining underexploited (Karanovic, Djurakic & Eberhard, ). Indeed, besides our study, there are just five publications that compared the utility of geometric morphometrics in detecting genetic units in turtles, four of them showing congruence between morphological and genetic data (Chiari & Claude, ; Palupčíková et al ., ; Murray et al ., ; Protiva et al ., ) but see Vitek ().…”

“…Considering that there have been only four studies comparing the utility of geometric morphometrics in the detection of population genetic structure in turtles (Chiari & Claude, ; Palupčíková et al ., ; Murray et al ., ; Protiva et al ., ), we chose Hermann's tortoise, Testudo hermanni (Gmelin, 1789), as a case study. Phenotypic diversity in Hermann's tortoise was investigated almost exclusively by using traditional morphometrics, mostly focused on topics such as Bergmann's rule, interpopulation and latitudinal variation in body size and shape, plastral pigmentation, sexual size and shape dimorphism as well as righting behaviour (Hailey, ; Willemsen & Hailey, , ,b, , , ; Zuffi & Plaitano, ; Djordjević et al ., , ; Golubović et al ., ; Stojadinović, Milošević & Crnobrnja‐Isailović, ).…”

The First Mitochondrial Control Region Dataset: Critically Endangered Freshwater Turtles in Malaysia, Orlitia borneensis and Batagur borneoensis

“…With the Asian Turtle Crisis [4] still going on, the number of many turtle species is decreasing, especially in the family Geoemydidae [5]. This is because of their habitat destruction and targeted exploitation [6].…”