Morphology, Molecules, and Delineation of the Gulf Coast Box Turtle

Morphology, Molecules, and Delineation of the Gulf Coast Box Turtle PDF Author: Jason M. Butler
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

Get Book Here

Book Description
ABSTRACT: The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) is a widespread and often abundant component of regional faunas. Despite the familiarity of T. carolina, little is known regarding the relationships among recognized subspecies. In the Florida panhandle, an area containing known genetic discontinuities in other turtles, four subspecies of T. carolina are distributed in close proximity. I implemented morphological and molecular analysis to understand the relationships among subspecific T. carolina taxa and explore how lineages are distributed across the Florida panhandle. I performed discriminate function analysis on 31 morphological characters from 723 individual T. carolina to develop canonical functions descriptive of T. carolina taxa. I validated these taxa as distinct evolutionary lineages by comparing mitochondrial DNA sequence fragments. I tested for intergradation between these taxa through analysis of a multilocus microsatellite dataset. I used this dataset to test for genetic structure among box turtles in the Florida panhandle. Morphological functions and mitochondrial DNA sequences may be used to discriminate between T. carolina subspecies. However, specimens from the Florida panhandle exhibit several distinct phenotypes and mitochondrial haplotypes. Despite this apparent geographic overlap of lineages, microsatellite analysis did not reveal genetic structure related to mitochondrial haplotypes, geographic distance or physiographic features. Spatial autocorrelation analysis suggests genetic structuring among box turtles may occur at relatively large geographic scales. The lack of fine-scale genetic structure may be attributed to the presence of transient males, juvenile dispersal or human relocation of T. carolina.

Morphology, Molecules, and Delineation of the Gulf Coast Box Turtle

Morphology, Molecules, and Delineation of the Gulf Coast Box Turtle PDF Author: Jason M. Butler
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

Get Book Here

Book Description
ABSTRACT: The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) is a widespread and often abundant component of regional faunas. Despite the familiarity of T. carolina, little is known regarding the relationships among recognized subspecies. In the Florida panhandle, an area containing known genetic discontinuities in other turtles, four subspecies of T. carolina are distributed in close proximity. I implemented morphological and molecular analysis to understand the relationships among subspecific T. carolina taxa and explore how lineages are distributed across the Florida panhandle. I performed discriminate function analysis on 31 morphological characters from 723 individual T. carolina to develop canonical functions descriptive of T. carolina taxa. I validated these taxa as distinct evolutionary lineages by comparing mitochondrial DNA sequence fragments. I tested for intergradation between these taxa through analysis of a multilocus microsatellite dataset. I used this dataset to test for genetic structure among box turtles in the Florida panhandle. Morphological functions and mitochondrial DNA sequences may be used to discriminate between T. carolina subspecies. However, specimens from the Florida panhandle exhibit several distinct phenotypes and mitochondrial haplotypes. Despite this apparent geographic overlap of lineages, microsatellite analysis did not reveal genetic structure related to mitochondrial haplotypes, geographic distance or physiographic features. Spatial autocorrelation analysis suggests genetic structuring among box turtles may occur at relatively large geographic scales. The lack of fine-scale genetic structure may be attributed to the presence of transient males, juvenile dispersal or human relocation of T. carolina.

Morphology and Evolution of Turtles

Morphology and Evolution of Turtles PDF Author: Donald B. Brinkman
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9400743092
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 577

Get Book Here

Book Description
This volume celebrates the contributions of Dr. Eugene Gaffney to the study of turtles, through a diverse and complementary collection of papers that showcases the latest research on one of the most intriguing groups of reptiles. A mix of focused and review papers deals with numerous aspects of the evolutionary history of turtles, including embryonic development, origins, early diversification, phylogenetic relationships, and biogeography. Moreover it includes reports on important but poorly understood fossil turtle assemblages, provides historical perspectives on turtle research, and documents disease and variation in turtles. With its broad scope, which includes descriptions of material and new taxa from Australia, Asia, and Europe, as well as North and South America, this work will be an essential resource for anyone interested in the morphology and evolution of turtles. “This volume’s breadth of time, geography, and taxonomic coverage makes it a major contribution to the field and a ‘must have’ for all vertebrate paleontologists.”, James F. Parham, California State University, CA, USA “A comprehensive and sweeping overview of turtle evolution by the top experts in the field that will interest everyone curious about these unique reptiles.” Jason S. Anderson, University of Calgary, Canada “An invaluable addition to the literature that covers the full spectrum of approaches toward understanding the evolution of these noble creatures.” Ann C. Burke, Wesleyan University, CT , USA “A truly comprehensive volume that both the student of fossil turtles, as well as the general reader interested in these enigmatic creatures, will find fascinating.” Tyler Lyson, Yale University, CT, USA​

The Origin of Turtles and Their Enigmatic Shell

The Origin of Turtles and Their Enigmatic Shell PDF Author: Tyler Ranse Lyson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 502

Get Book Here

Book Description


North American Box Turtles

North American Box Turtles PDF Author: C. Kenneth Dodd
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
ISBN: 9780806135014
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 286

Get Book Here

Book Description
Once a familiar backyard visitor in many parts of the United States and Mexico, the box turtle is losing the battle against extinction. In North American Box Turtles, C. Kenneth Dodd, Jr., has written the first book-length natural history of the twelve species and subspecies of this endangered animal. This volume includes comprehensive information on the species’ evolution, behavior, courtship and reproduction, habitat use, diet, population structure, systematics, and disease. Special features include color photos of all species, subspecies, and their habitats; a simple identification guide to both living and fossil species; and a summary of information on fossil Terrapene and Native uses of box turtles. End-of-chapter sections highlight future research directions, including the need for long-term monitoring and observation of box turtles within their natural habitat and conservation applications. A glossary and a bibliography of literature on box turtles accompany the text. All royalties from the sales of this volume will go to the Chelonian Research Foundation, a nonprofit foundation for the conservation of turtles.

Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles

Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles PDF Author: Peter A. Meylan
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780965354042
Category : Turtles
Languages : en
Pages : 375

Get Book Here

Book Description


The Leatherback Turtle

The Leatherback Turtle PDF Author: James R. Spotila
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 142141709X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 246

Get Book Here

Book Description
The most comprehensive book ever written on leatherback sea turtles. Weighing as much as 2,000 pounds and reaching lengths of over seven feet, leatherback turtles are the world’s largest reptile. These unusual sea turtles have a thick, pliable shell that helps them to withstand great depths—they can swim more than one thousand meters below the surface in search of food. And what food source sustains these goliaths? Their diet consists almost exclusively of jellyfish, a meal they crisscross the oceans to find. Leatherbacks have been declining in recent decades, and some predict they will be gone by the end of this century. Why? Because of two primary factors: human redevelopment of nesting beaches and commercial fishing. There are only twenty-nine index beaches in the world where these turtles nest, and there is immense pressure to develop most of them into homes or resorts. At the same time, longline and gill net fisheries continue to overwhelm waters frequented by leatherbacks. In The Leatherback Turtle, James R. Spotila and Pilar Santidrián Tomillo bring together the world’s leading experts to produce a volume that reveals the biology of the leatherback while putting a spotlight on the conservation problems and solutions related to the species. The book leaves us with options: embark on the conservation strategy laid out within its pages and save one of nature’s most splendid creations, or watch yet another magnificent species disappear.

Defining Turtle Diversity

Defining Turtle Diversity PDF Author: Howard Bradley Shaffer
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780965354073
Category : Turtles
Languages : en
Pages : 199

Get Book Here

Book Description


Marine Genetics

Marine Genetics PDF Author: Antonio M. Solé-Cava
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 940172184X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 224

Get Book Here

Book Description
Our current knowledge of marine organisms and the factors affecting their ecology, distribution and evolution has been revolutionised by the use, in the last 20 years, of molecular population genetics tools. This book is the result of a meeting of world-leading experts, in Rio de Janeiro, where the state of the art of this field was reviewed. Topics covered include the molecular analysis of bio-invasions, the recent developments in marine biotechnology, the factors affecting levels of genetic variation and population structure in marine organisms and their application to conservation biology, fisheries and aquaculture. This is the first book dedicated to the genetic study of marine organisms. It will be very useful to biology students, scientists and anyone working or simply interested in areas such as marine biology, zoology, ecology, and population and molecular genetics.

Alien Reptiles and Amphibians

Alien Reptiles and Amphibians PDF Author: Fred Kraus
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402089465
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 571

Get Book Here

Book Description
Transportation of species to areas outside their native ranges has been a feature of human culture for millennia. During this time such activities have largely been viewed as beneficial or inconsequential. However, it has become increasingly clear that human-caused introductions of alien biota are an ecological disruption whose consequences rival those of better-known insults like chemical pollution, habitat loss, and climate change. Indeed, the irreversible nature of most alien-species int- ductions makes them less prone to correction than many other ecological problems. Current reshuffling of species ranges is so great that the present era has been referred to by some as the “Homogocene” in an effort to reflect the unique mag- tude of the changes being made. These alien interlopers often cause considerable ecological and economic d- age where introduced. Species extinctions, food-web disruptions, community alte- tions, ecosystem conversion, changes in nutrient cycling, fisheries collapse, watershed degradation, agricultural loss, building damage, and disease epidemics are among the destructive – and frequently unpredictable – ecological and economic effects that invasive alien species can inflict. The magnitude of these damages c- tinues to grow, with virtually all environments heavily used by humans now do- nated by alien species and many “natural” areas becoming increasingly prone to alien invasion as well. Attention to this problem has increased in the past decade or so, and efforts to prevent or limit further harm are gaining wider scientific and political acceptance.

Effects of EMFs from Undersea Power Cables on Elasmobranchs and Other Marine Species: Final Report

Effects of EMFs from Undersea Power Cables on Elasmobranchs and Other Marine Species: Final Report PDF Author: T. Tricas
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 1437989144
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 426

Get Book Here

Book Description