Mitochondrial DNA markers of loggerhead marine turtles (<em>Caretta caretta</em>) (Testudines: Cheloniidae) nesting at Kyparissia Bay, Greece, confirm the western Greece unit and regional structuring
Abstract:Summary: Genetic markers have been widely used in marine turtles to assess population structuring and origin of individuals in common feeding grounds, which are key elements for understanding their ecology and for developing conservation strategies. However, these analyses are very sensitive to missing information, especially from abundant nesting sites. Kyparissia Bay (western Greece) hosts the second largest Mediterranean nesting aggregation of the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), but the genetic profile… Show more
“…A—Present study; B—Garofalo et al 2009, C—Saied et al 2012; D—Clusa et al 2013; E—Carreras et al 2014; F—Yilmaz et al 2011; G—Yilmaz et al 2012. WTU, MTU and ETU are groups of nesting beaches as defined in Yilmaz et al (2011).…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 93%
“…WTU, MTU and ETU are groups of nesting beaches as defined in Yilmaz et al (2011). ZAK, KYP and LAK were grouped as WGR for some analysis, as per Carreras et al (2014)
Fig. 2Proportional contribution of Mediterranean nesting units to the foraging population in Amvrakikos Gulf using genetic markers.…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…2Proportional contribution of Mediterranean nesting units to the foraging population in Amvrakikos Gulf using genetic markers. Circles Mediterranean nesting units that have been defined for mitochondrial haplotype frequencies in previous studies (Garofalo et al 2009, Yilmaz et al 2011, Clusa et al 2013, Carreras et al 2014) and considered for Mixed Stock Analysis of Amvrakikos (AMV) samples. Open circles indicate a nesting unit contribution of >2% to the Amvrakikos Gulf aggregation, with size denoting percentage contribution.…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…WTU, MTU and ETU are groups of nesting beaches as defined in Yilmaz et al (2011). ZAK, KYP and LAK were grouped as WGR for some analysis, as per Carreras et al (2014)…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Despite the greater resolution the increased-length mtDNA sequences have provided over the previously used shorter sequences (Shamblin et al 2012; Clusa et al 2013), the Mediterranean loggerhead turtle populations remain linked through the common CCA2.1 haplotype that accounts for 80% or more of the samples in nine of the 15 nesting areas assessed (Table 2) and reaches over 95% in three (Lakonikos Bay in Greece, Cyprus & Mid Turkey). Additionally, not all haplotypes that have been described in the Mediterranean can be incorporated in MSA (as smaller datasets are dropped to avoid pseudoreplication, see Carreras et al 2014) thus weakening their potential resolution.…”
Many marine megavertebrate taxa, including sea turtles, disperse widely from their hatching or birthing locations but display natal homing as adults. We used flipper tagging, satellite tracking and genetics to identify the origin of loggerhead turtles living in Amvrakikos Gulf, Greece. This location has been identified as hosting regionally important numbers of large-juvenile to adult sized turtles that display long-term residency and/or association to the area, and also presents a male biased sex ratio for adults. A total of 20 individuals were linked to nesting areas in Greece through flipper tagging and satellite telemetry, with the majority (16) associated with Zakynthos Island. One additional female was tracked from Amvrakikos Gulf to Turkey where she likely nested. Mitochondrial DNA mixed stock analyses of turtles captured in Amvrakikos Gulf (n = 95) indicated 82% of individuals originated from Greek nesting stocks, mainly from Zakynthos Island (63%), with lesser contributions from central Turkey, Cyprus and Libya. These results suggest that the male-biased sex ratio found in Amvrakikos Gulf may be driven by the fact that males breed twice as frequently on Zakynthos, resulting in their using foraging grounds of greater proximity to the breeding site. Conservation measures in localised foraging habitats for the protection of marine vertebrates, such as sea turtles, may have positive impacts on several disparate breeding stocks and the use of multiple methods to determine source populations can indicate the relative effectiveness of these measures.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00227-016-3055-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
“…A—Present study; B—Garofalo et al 2009, C—Saied et al 2012; D—Clusa et al 2013; E—Carreras et al 2014; F—Yilmaz et al 2011; G—Yilmaz et al 2012. WTU, MTU and ETU are groups of nesting beaches as defined in Yilmaz et al (2011).…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 93%
“…WTU, MTU and ETU are groups of nesting beaches as defined in Yilmaz et al (2011). ZAK, KYP and LAK were grouped as WGR for some analysis, as per Carreras et al (2014)
Fig. 2Proportional contribution of Mediterranean nesting units to the foraging population in Amvrakikos Gulf using genetic markers.…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…2Proportional contribution of Mediterranean nesting units to the foraging population in Amvrakikos Gulf using genetic markers. Circles Mediterranean nesting units that have been defined for mitochondrial haplotype frequencies in previous studies (Garofalo et al 2009, Yilmaz et al 2011, Clusa et al 2013, Carreras et al 2014) and considered for Mixed Stock Analysis of Amvrakikos (AMV) samples. Open circles indicate a nesting unit contribution of >2% to the Amvrakikos Gulf aggregation, with size denoting percentage contribution.…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…WTU, MTU and ETU are groups of nesting beaches as defined in Yilmaz et al (2011). ZAK, KYP and LAK were grouped as WGR for some analysis, as per Carreras et al (2014)…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Despite the greater resolution the increased-length mtDNA sequences have provided over the previously used shorter sequences (Shamblin et al 2012; Clusa et al 2013), the Mediterranean loggerhead turtle populations remain linked through the common CCA2.1 haplotype that accounts for 80% or more of the samples in nine of the 15 nesting areas assessed (Table 2) and reaches over 95% in three (Lakonikos Bay in Greece, Cyprus & Mid Turkey). Additionally, not all haplotypes that have been described in the Mediterranean can be incorporated in MSA (as smaller datasets are dropped to avoid pseudoreplication, see Carreras et al 2014) thus weakening their potential resolution.…”
Many marine megavertebrate taxa, including sea turtles, disperse widely from their hatching or birthing locations but display natal homing as adults. We used flipper tagging, satellite tracking and genetics to identify the origin of loggerhead turtles living in Amvrakikos Gulf, Greece. This location has been identified as hosting regionally important numbers of large-juvenile to adult sized turtles that display long-term residency and/or association to the area, and also presents a male biased sex ratio for adults. A total of 20 individuals were linked to nesting areas in Greece through flipper tagging and satellite telemetry, with the majority (16) associated with Zakynthos Island. One additional female was tracked from Amvrakikos Gulf to Turkey where she likely nested. Mitochondrial DNA mixed stock analyses of turtles captured in Amvrakikos Gulf (n = 95) indicated 82% of individuals originated from Greek nesting stocks, mainly from Zakynthos Island (63%), with lesser contributions from central Turkey, Cyprus and Libya. These results suggest that the male-biased sex ratio found in Amvrakikos Gulf may be driven by the fact that males breed twice as frequently on Zakynthos, resulting in their using foraging grounds of greater proximity to the breeding site. Conservation measures in localised foraging habitats for the protection of marine vertebrates, such as sea turtles, may have positive impacts on several disparate breeding stocks and the use of multiple methods to determine source populations can indicate the relative effectiveness of these measures.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00227-016-3055-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Population structure and phylogeography of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) have so far been assessed mainly by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) single-gene sequencing studies. However, phylogenetic relationships amongst matrilines, genetic characterisation of rookeries and mixed-stock analyses have suffered from the limited resolution obtained by comparison of relatively short sequences such as from the mtDNA control region. Whole mitogenome sequencing can significantly improve population genetics, particularly in marine organisms showing female natal philopatry. Despite mitogenomics becoming increasingly common in biodiversity monitoring and conservation, only a few complete mitogenomes are available for C. caretta. In this study, we sequenced the complete mtDNA of 61 loggerhead turtles sampled between 2008 and 2021 along the Italian coastline and central Mediterranean Sea. We assigned complete mtDNA haplotypes to dead embryos and bycatch samples, and introduced a first nomenclature for loggerhead mitogenomes. Analysis of mtDNA diversity, Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction allowed improved resolution of lineages with respect to studies reporting on partial mtDNA control region sequence comparisons, and we were able to further inform previous analyses on loggerhead ancestry based on control region haplogroups. Overall, whole mitogenome analysis has potential for considerable improvement of evolutionary history and phylogeographic investigations as well as mixed-stock surveys of loggerhead turtles.
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