scholarly journals First report of hybridization between Mauremys leprosa and Mauremys sinensis highlights the risk of exotic Mauremys spp. pet trade

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicente Sancho ◽  
Ignacio Lacomba ◽  
José Vicente Bataller ◽  
Joana Veríssimo ◽  
Guillermo Velo-Antón
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Pet Trade ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Pond Turtle ◽  
Mitochondrial Cytochrome B ◽  
Mauremys Leprosa ◽  
Trade Market

The global exponential growth in the number of exotic turtle species exploited in the pet trade market facilitates hybridization events between distantly related species. The 1997 EU trade ban on red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans), followed by the Spanish ban on all T. scripta subspecies in 2011, resulted in the importation of other chelonians (e.g. Graptemys spp., Pseudemys spp., Mauremys spp.), mainly from America and Asia to Spain. The importation of the Chinese stripe-necked pond turtle, Mauremys sinensis, via the pet trade market resulted in its release into natural environments across Europe, including the Iberian Peninsula where it co-occurs with the Western Mediterranean pond turtle, Mauremys leprosa. We maintained three M. leprosa females and two M. sinensis males in captivity, and analysed the obtained offspring (two hatchlings) with mitochondrial (cytochrome b) and nuclear (R35) genetic markers. Both morphological (i.e. with intermediate morphological characters) and genetic (heterozygous hatchlings) results confirmed the hybridization between these two species and raise concern about the negative effects of acclimatised Mauremys sinensis across the Mauremys leprosa range. 

Invasive species threat: parasite phylogenetics reveals patterns and processes of host-switching between non-native and native captive freshwater turtles

Parasitology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 138 (13) ◽  
pp. 1778-1792 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. VERNEAU ◽  
C. PALACIOS ◽  
T. PLATT ◽  
M. ALDAY ◽  
E. BILLARD ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Host Switching ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Freshwater Turtles ◽  
Pet Trade ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Mauremys Leprosa ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Patterns And Processes

SUMMARYOne of the major threats to biodiversity involves biological invasions with direct consequences on the stability of ecosystems. In this context, the role of parasites is not negligible as it may enhance the success of invaders. The red-eared slider, Trachemys scripta elegans, has been globally considered among the worst invasive species. Since its introduction through the pet trade, T. s. elegans is now widespread and represents a threat for indigenous species. Because T. s. elegans coexists with Emys orbicularis and Mauremys leprosa in Europe, it has been suggested it may compete with the native turtle species and transmit pathogens. We examined parasite transfer from American captive to the two native species that co-exist in artificial pools of a Turtle Farm in France. As model parasite species we used platyhelminth worms of the family Polystomatidae (Monogenea) because polystomes have been described from American turtles in their native range. Phylogenetic relationships among polystomes parasitizing chelonian host species that are geographically widespread show patterns of diversification more complex than expected. Using DNA barcoding to identify species from adult and/or polystome eggs, several cases of host switching from exotic to indigenous individuals were illustrated, corroborating that parasite transmission is important when considering the pet trade and in reintroduction programmes to reinforce wild populations of indigenous species.

Biochemical Systematics, Biogeography and Evolutionary Rates in Species of the Mediterranean Genus Tyrrhenoleuctra (Plecoptera, Leuctridae)

2004 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 299-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
J. M. Tierno de Figueroa ◽  
◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Evolutionary Rate ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Genetic Distances ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Similar Distribution ◽  
Undescribed Species ◽  
Vicariance Event ◽  
Definition Of

AbstractThe western Mediterranean stonefly genus Tyrrhenoleuctra traditionally includes 3 species: T. minuta (Spain, North Africa, Balearic Islands), T. tangerina (Spain, North Africa), T. zavattarii (Corsica and Sardinia). Since the traditional morphological characters display great and overlapping variation, allozyme electrophoresis was used to clarify taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships within the genus and to discuss biogeographical implications. The results clearly discriminate at least four entities: the Corso-Sardinian unit, for which the name T. zavattarii can be used; the Balearic population, representing an undescribed species; at least two Iberian peninsular species. However, more data on topotypic populations are needed to define the taxonomic status of the Iberian species (including definition of the currently used names T. minuta and T. tangerina). The presence of Tyrrhenoleuctra in Sardinia and Corsica is likely due to an old vicariance event following separation of the Sardinia-Corsica microplate from the Iberian Peninsula. Calibration of the molecular clock (genetic distances vs. Corso-Sardinian plate split from Iberia) resulted in a very low evolutionary rate (0.008 D/my), lower than those found in taxonomically distant groups (including stoneflies) with similar distribution.

Introduction

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Don Moll ◽  
Edward O. Moll
Keyword(s):  
Homo Sapiens ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Pet Trade ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Modern Species ◽  
Precipitous Decline ◽  
Sustainable Population

The turtle species that dwell in the world’s rivers, play important, but incompletely understood and largely unappreciated, roles in both the ecology of their respective ecosystems, and in the economy and sociology of the human cultures through which their rivers flow. Accordingly, the precipitous decline of many populations from former levels, and the complete extirpation of some species from large areas of their former ranges is cause for alarm by those concerned, not only with turtles, but with the health and welfare of rivers and humans as well. The causes of these declines are virtually all the result of human activities—including those which involve direct predation on the turtles themselves (and their eggs), removal for the pet trade, and those which result in unfavorable changes in their habitats. The fact that no known modern species has yet been driven to total extinction is testimony to the resiliency and fecundity of river turtle species. This is no cause for complacency—many are almost certainly teetering on the brink now and are facing ever-increasing odds against long-term survival. Some species could be even now beyond hope of recovery, their populations sustained for a time by a relatively few long-lived adults without sufficient collective reproductive “power” to thwart the normal and various mortality sources which plague all turtles, and which their sheer numbers had formerly been able to overcome. However, we are still so ignorant of the population dynamics of these species that we know not which, if any, are doomed. It seems preferable, therefore, as we strive to conserve river turtle stocks that we assume the working philosophy that none is in this category, and focus our efforts and resources toward research and conservation action most likely to return even the most endangered species to robust, sustainable population levels. The roots of the current crisis predate history, beginning with our hominid ancestors, and particularly hunter-gather Homo sapiens’ unparalleled capacity to learn and adapt in order to maximize the harvest of all available food resources.

Gymnesigobius medits (Teleostei: Gobiidae), a new gobiid genus and species from the western Mediterranean slope bottoms

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4651 (3) ◽  
pp. 513-530
Author(s):  
MARCELO KOVAČIĆ ◽  
FRANCESC ORDINES ◽  
SERGIO RAMIREZ-AMARO ◽  
ULRICH K. SCHLIEWEN
Keyword(s):  
New Genus ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Full Description ◽  
Unique Combination ◽  
New Genus And Species ◽  
Posterior Edge ◽  
Superior Part ◽  
Dorsal Fin ◽  
Pelvic Fin

A new genus and species of goby, Gymnesigobius medits sp. nov., is described from the western Mediterranean slope bottoms at the Balearic Islands. The new goby belongs to the Gobius-lineage (Gobiinae). Examination of the single known specimen exhibits a unique combination of morphological characters which could not be fitted to any known genus. Gymnesigobius gen. nov. is morphologically distinguished from all other genera in the Gobius-lineage by the following combination of characters: chin without fold or barbels; mouth terminal with anterior tip above horizontal level of lower eye edge; predorsal area and first dorsal fin base naked; pelvic fin anterior membrane well developed; head with anterior oculoscapular and preopercular canals, posterior oculoscapular canal absent; pores of head canals enlarged, e.g. pores α and ρ larger or of about the same size as interspaces to pore β; six transverse suborbital rows of sensory papillae, four continuous suborbital rows in front of row b, fifth row divided in three parts but in front of row b, sixth row just as superior part above row b and below pore α; longitudinal suborbital row b barely reaching forward to the vertical from posterior edge of eye. A full description of the new genus and species is provided. The new species, collected at a depth of between 344 and 364 m (mean depth of 354 m), is one of very few gobiid species found at bathyal depths. 

A new species of Dahmsopottekina (Copepoda: Harpacticoida: Huntemanniidae) from the western Mediterranean deep sea

2011 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 1043-1055 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katerina Sevastou ◽  
Paulo Henrique Costa Corgosinho ◽  
Pedro Martínez Arbizu
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Depth Range ◽  
Mode Of Life ◽  
Study Support ◽  
A New Species

A new species of the genus Dahmsopottekina is described from the Mediterranean Sea. Dahmsopottekina guilvardi sp. nov. was collected from abyssal habitats at a depth range of 2340–2850 m. Like its congeners, the new species has a vermiform habitus, a highly transformed P1 in both sexes and a plough-like rostrum in the female. Dahmsopottekina guilvardi sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeneric species by the combination of a fused basis and endopodite in P1 of both sexes and the absence of an endopodite in P2–P4 of the female. Dahmsopottekina guilvardi sp. nov. is the second record of a harpacticoid species after its congener D. peruana in which the basis and endopodite of a leg other than the P5, namely the P1, are fused. Furthermore, the new species is the only one among Dahmsopottekina species with a 1-segmented P1 exopodite in the male. Similar to its congeners, D. guilvardi sp. nov. is strongly sexually dimorphic. This is evident through the morphology of most of the cephalic appendages and the reduction of P2–P6 in the female. The results of the present study support the observation that Dahmsopottekina species are sparsely distributed and highly endemic. Nevertheless, our results do not agree with the statement of considerably larger females as the length variability between females is greater than between the two sexes. Despite the morphological characters of the species commensurate with a burrowing mode of life, its presence in sediment traps suggests that D. guilvardi sp. nov. is an active ‘swimmer’.

scholarly journals New World Nine-Primaried Oscine Relationships: Constructing a Mitochondrial DNA Framework

The Auk ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 117 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Klicka ◽  
Kevin P. Johnson ◽  
Scott M. Lanyon
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome B ◽  
New World ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Bootstrap Support ◽  
Wood Warblers ◽  
Nadh Dehydrogenase Subunit 2 ◽  
Mitochondrial Cytochrome B ◽  
Strong Bootstrap Support ◽  
High Degree

AbstractHistorically, a paucity of comparative morphological characters has led to much debate regarding relationships within and among the major lineages of New World nine-primaried oscines. More recently, DNA-DNA hybridization studies have provided novel and testable hypotheses of relationships, although no consensus has been reached. For 40 songbird taxa, we obtained 1,929 base pairs (bp) of DNA sequence from the mitochondrial cytochrome-b (894 bp) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (1,035 bp) genes. Phylogenetic analyses confirm the monophyly of this assemblage as traditionally defined. The lineages delineated historically on morphological grounds are retained; finches (Fringillinae) are sister to a well-supported clade (Emberizinae) containing blackbirds (Icterini), sparrows (Emberizini), wood-warblers (Parulini), tanagers (Thraupini), and cardinal-grosbeaks (Cardinalini). However, each tribe individually is either paraphyletic or polyphyletic with respect to most recent songbird classifications. Our results suggest that Euphonia is not a tanager but perhaps represents a derived form of cardueline finch. Piranga, traditionally considered a typical tanager, is a cardinaline in all of our analyses. Calcarius falls outside the sparrow lineage in all of our analyses, but its true affinities remain unclear. Elements of four different AOU families are represented in our clade Thraupini. The inclusion of several “tanager-finches” (Haplospiza, Diglossa, Tiaris, Volatinia, Sporophila) and a nectarivore (Coereba) in this clade is consistent with findings from other molecular phylogenies in suggesting that convergence in feeding specializations among some lineages has confounded traditional morphological classifications. We obtained a novel arrangement of relationships among tribes in our “best” topology; Cardinalini is sister to the rest of the Emberizinae assemblage (as defined by Sibley and Ahlquist [1990]), and Thraupini is sister to a clade containing Icterini, Emberizini, and Parulini. Despite nearly 2,000 bp of sequence for each taxon, and a high degree of stability across most weighting schemes and analytical methods, most nodes lack strong bootstrap support. The ND2 gene provided higher resolution than did cytochrome b, but combining genes provided the most highly supported and resolved topology. We consider the phylogeny a working hypothesis to be used as a guide for further studies within the nine-primaried oscine assemblage.

A new species of Buenia (Perciformes: Gobiidae) from the western Mediterranean slope bottoms, the redescription of Buenia jeffreysi and the first Balearic record of Buenia affinis

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4392 (2) ◽  
pp. 267 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARCELO KOVAČIĆ ◽  
FRANCESC ORDINES ◽  
ULRICH K. SCHLIEWEN
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
First Record ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Depth Range ◽  
Morphometric Characters ◽  
Dorsal Fin ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Upper Slope

A new gobiid species, Buenia lombartei sp. nov. (Teleostei: Gobiidae) is described from the continental slope off the Balearic Islands, western Mediterranean. The Atlantic species Buenia jeffreysii (Günther, 1867) is redescribed and the first record of Buenia affinis Iljin, 1930 is reported for the islands. A key for the species of genus Buenia is provided. The new species can be distinguished from congeneric species by morphological characters: anterior oculoscapular canal semi-closed with pores σ, λ, κ, α, ρ and additional pores and open furrows; suborbital row c of 6 papillae; anal fin I/7-I/8; scales in lateral series 25-27; scales in transverse series 6; pectoral fin rays 18; the second spine of the first dorsal fin longest, backwards reaching to middle second dorsal fin in males when folded down; pelvic fin anterior membrane reduced to less than one sixth of spinous ray in midline depth; tongue well developed and bilobed and several morphometric characters. The new species is also characterized by its reduced colouration and unique depth range and occurrence on upper slope muddy bottoms. Contrary to this, only a small number of gobiid species in the Mediterranean reach beyond the circalittoral to the deep shelf, and just a few have records below the shelf break. Phylogenetic analysis of their mitochondrial COI sequence grouped the two specimens within the same clade as B. jeffreysii, but one apomorphic transversion diagnoses the B. lombartei subclade. A hypothesis about rapid speciation of B. lombartei as well as alternative hypotheses are discussed. During the Last Glacial Maximum, boreal fish species such as cold-water adapted gadids, now restricted to northwestern Europe, entered the Mediterranean. This may have also been the case of the boreal population of B. jeffreysii. At the end of the glacial period, increasingly warming Mediterranean waters might restricted B. jeffreysii to deeper coldwater mud habitats of the upper slope, where it finally adapted to bathyal conditions.  

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