Aug

31

2007
 
 

Turtle confusion



Conservation hinges on understanding species taxonomy, turtle study demonstrates

turtley mixed upGenetic analyses have raised serious questions about the use of animals seized from illegal traders in breeding and reintroduction programs. University of California Berkeley biologist Jonathan Fong and colleagues found that evolutionary trees of the endangered Asian turtle Mauremys mutica complex – which contains the critically endangered M. annamensis – drawn up from DNA samples don’t match the currently accepted morphological taxonomy. Breeding turtles seized from the trade risks mixing the genetic structure too much, according to the report published in Animal Conservation. Instead, the focus should be on understanding the geographic and genetic diversity of turtles, with conservation efforts directed at protecting them in the field. Source: Fong JJ, Parham JF, Shi H, Stuart BL & Carter RL (2007) A genetic survey of heavily exploited, endangered turtles: caveats on the conservation value of trade animals. Animal Conservation DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2007.00131.x

Related story in Conservation magazine: Do No Harm

Image © Peter Paul van Dijk

Filed Under Endangered species, Monitoring, Socio-political issues, Tools and technology | 

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Comments

One Response to “Turtle confusion”

  1. Squiddy on August 31st, 2007 7:48 pm

    Evolution can not be thwarted.

    I’m pretty sure these turtles would have been dead generations ago had they not mutated.

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