Carapace shape variation of genetically divergent populations of Testudo hermanni boettgeri (Reptilia: Testudines)

Abstract

The published cytb mtDNA sequences from a previous phylogeographic study of Testudo hermanni and de novo genetic and phenotypic data of samples from the Pčinja River Valley (Serbia, Central Balkans) and Trebinje (Bosnia and Herzegovina) were used to: (i) genetically characterize samples from Pčinja, a region of great importance from the conservation standpoint due to its taxonomic diversity and biogeographical history, and Trebinje, a type locality of a disputed taxon “Testudo hercegoviensis” Werner, 1899; (ii) to study the link between gene genealogy and geographic distribution by implementing spatial genetic analyses, and (iii) to assess whether the distribution of carapace shape variation is in accordance with genetic clusters. The samples from Pčinja and Trebinje possessed divergent haplotypes that corresponded to east (HI) and west (HV) genetic clusters, respectively. Geometric morphometrics was found to be a suitable method to distinguish divergent genetic clusters, arguing for the reassessment of a subspecific ranking within the currently recognized eastern Hermann’s subspecies, T. h. boettgeri. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 173012: Dynamics of gene pool, genetic and phenotypic variability of populations, determined by the environmental changes]

Keywords

• cytb mtdna
• geometric morphometrics
• landscape genetics
• subspecies
• turtle