Mixed-stock analysis in green turtles Chelonia mydas: mtDNA decipher current connections among west Atlantic populations. (4th March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Costa Jordao, Juliana; Bondioli, Ana Cristina Vigliar; Almeida-Toledo, Lurdes Foresti de; Bilo, Karin; Berzins, Rachel; Le Maho, Yvon; Chevallier, Damien; de Thoisy, Benoit
• Is Part Of: Mitochondrial DNA. Volume 28:Number 2(2017)
• Page Start: 197
• Page End: 207
• Publication Date: 2017-03-04
• Subjects: Chelonia -- control region -- feeding areas -- gene flows -- MSA -- nesting areas
• DOI: 10.3109/19401736.2015.1115843
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2380-2359

Abstract

Abstract: The green turtle Chelonia mydas undertakes wide-ranging migrations between feeding and nesting sites, resulting in mixing and isolation of genetic stocks. We used mtDNA control region to characterize the genetic composition, population structure, and natal origins of C. mydas in the West Atlantic Ocean, at one feeding ground (State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), and three Caribbean nesting grounds (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, and Suriname). The feeding ground presented considerable frequency of common haplotypes from the South Atlantic, whereas the nesting sites presented a major contribution of the most common haplotype from the Caribbean. MSA revealed multiple origins of individuals at the feeding ground, notably from Ascension Island, Guinea Bissau, and French Guiana. This study enables a better understanding of the dispersion patterns and highlights the importance of connecting both nesting and feeding areas. Effective conservation initiatives need to encompass these ecologically and geographically distinct sites as well as those corridors connecting them.