The British Herpetological Society

The Herpetological Journal is the Society's prestigious quarterly scientific journal. Articles are listed in Biological Abstracts, Current Awareness in Biological Sciences,Current Contents, Science Citation Index, and Zoological Record.

 ISSN 0268-0130

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pdf 01. Morphological and mitochondrial variation of spur-thighed tortoises, Testudo graeca, in Turkey

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pp. 1-9

Authors: Oguz Turkozan, Ferhat Kiremit, Brian R. Lavin, Fevzi Bardakcı & James F. Parham

Abstract: Testudo graeca has a wide distribution under different geographic, climatic and ecological conditions, and shows high morphological differences especially in the Asian (Middle Eastern and Caucasian) parts of the range. This study investigates
morphometric and genetic differentiation in the T. graeca complex in Turkey using the densest sampling to date. We sequenced two mt-DNA loci (ND4 and cyt b) of 199 samples and combined them with previously published data. Bayesian analysis yielded six well-supported clades, four of which occur in Turkey (ibera, [/i]terrestris[/i], armeniaca and [/i]buxtoni[/i]). The armeniaca mtDNA clade
locally represents a morphometrically distinct burrowing ecomorph. However, previous studies have shown that individuals
outside Turkey possessing armeniaca mtDNA lack the distinctive armeniaca morphotype we observed, precluding taxonomic
conclusions.

Keywords: mtDNA, morphometry, Testudinidae, Testudo, Turkey

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Please note that as from Volume 31 Number 1 (January 2021) on, the Herpetological Journal will be available as an online publication only - the last print edition will be Volume 30 Number 4.   

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