A population genetic analysis of the Critically Endangered Madagascar big-headed turtle, Erymnochelys madagascariensis across captive and wild populations

Erymnochelys madagascariensis is a Critically Endangered turtle endemic to Madagascar. Anthropogenic activity has depleted the wild population by 70% in the last century, and effective conservation management is essential to ensuring its persistence. Captive breeding was implemented to augment deple...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Scientific reports Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 8740
Main Authors:	White, Nina F. D., Mennell, Holly, Power, Georgia, Edwards, Dominic, Chrimes, Luke, Woolaver, Lance, Velosoa, Juliette, Randriamahita, Mozavelo, Richard, Rafeliarisoa, Tsilavo Hasina, Kuchling, Gerald, Lopez, Javier, Bekarany, Ernest, Charles, Namotoa, Young, Richard, Lewis, Richard, Bruford, Michael W., Orozco-terWengel, Pablo
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	London Nature Publishing Group UK 24-05-2022 Nature Publishing Group Nature Portfolio
Subjects:	631/158/2452 631/158/2464 631/158/672 Animals Anthropogenic factors Biodiversity Captive breeding Captivity Conservation Conservation of Natural Resources Cytochrome b Endangered Species Environmental protection Erymnochelys madagascariensis Genetic analysis Genetic diversity Genetic drift Genetic structure Genetic Variation Genetics, Population Haplotypes Humanities and Social Sciences Madagascar Microsatellite Repeats - genetics Mitochondria multidisciplinary National parks Population Population genetics Reptiles & amphibians Rivers Science Science (multidisciplinary) Turtles - genetics Watersheds Wildlife conservation Madagascar
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Summary:	Erymnochelys madagascariensis is a Critically Endangered turtle endemic to Madagascar. Anthropogenic activity has depleted the wild population by 70% in the last century, and effective conservation management is essential to ensuring its persistence. Captive breeding was implemented to augment depleted populations in the southern part of Ankarafantsika National Park (ANP), when no genetic data were available for E. madagascariensis . It is unknown how much of the natural population’s diversity is encapsulated in captivity. We used eight microsatellite loci and fragments of two mitochondrial genes to identify the genetic structure of E. madagascariensis in the wild. Captive bred turtles were compared with wild populations in order to assess the representativeness of this ex situ conservation strategy for ANP. Six microsatellite clusters, ten cytochrome b, and nine COI haplotypes were identified across wild populations, with high genetic divergence found between populations in two groups of watersheds. Captive bred individuals represent three out of six sampled microsatellite clusters found in the wild and just one mitochondrial haplotype, possibly due to genetic drift. To improve genetic representation, the strategy of frequent interchange between captive and wild breeders within ANP should be revitalised and, as originally planned, hatchlings or juveniles should not be released beyond ANP.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	2045-2322 2045-2322
DOI:	10.1038/s41598-022-12422-y