Genetic assessment,illegal trafficking and management of the Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise in Southern Spain and Northern Africa |
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Authors: | María Salinas Laura Altet Cristina Clavel Ramón Miguel Almela Alejandro Bayón Isabel Burguete Armand Sánchez |
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Institution: | 1.Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Facultat de Veterinària,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona,Bellaterra, Barcelona,Spain;2.Dpto de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria,Universidad de Murcia,Murcia,Spain;3.Dpto de Medicina y Cirugía Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria,Universidad de Murcia,Murcia,Spain |
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Abstract: | Wild populations of many species are declining as a result of habitat destruction and climate change but also through the
over-collection for wild meat and the pet trade. With a long history of trade around the Mediterranean, populations of the
spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca graeca) have become highly disturbed. In this study we utilise a molecular approach to investigate the diversity, population admixture
and structure of T. g. graeca populations in northern Africa and southern Spain, as well as to obtain an insight into the origin of newly established populations
in the south of Europe. We infer this from the sequencing of two partial regions of the mitochondria (12s rRNA + cyt b) and genotyping at 16 microsatellite markers in 448 tortoises. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that Spanish
populations were founded from North Africa, the consequence of multiple introductions or exchanges in genetic material as
a result of trans-oceanic dispersal. Despite the trade of individuals between both sides of the Gibraltar Strait, our analysis
of population structure showed clear differences between both the African and European populations, suggesting an incipient
evolutionary lineage in southeast of Spain. As such, these populations possess unique genetic identities and should be treated
as different management units. Surprisingly, the genetic data identified a great deal of diversity contained within pet (captive)
stock and also allowed us to infer hybrids among individuals with another species of terrestrial tortoise from northern Spain
(T. hermanni hermanni). Additionally, our results provide insight into the local movement and trade of individuals that has occurred around the
Mediterranean basin (between northern Africa and southern Spain) and as such provides guidance for the effective management
of T. g. graeca captive stock and the illegal trafficking. |
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