Carapace shape variation of genetically divergent populations of Testudo hermanni boettgeri (Reptilia: Testudines)

The published cytb mtDNA sequences from a previous phylogeographic study of Testudo hermanni and de novo genetic and phenotypic data of samples from the Pcinja River Valley (Serbia, Central Balkans) and Trebinje (Bosnia and Herzegovina) were used to: (i) genetically characterize samples from Pcinja, a region of great importance from the conservation standpoint due to its taxonomic diversity and biogeographical history, and Trebinje, a type locality of a disputed taxon ?Testudo hercegoviensis? Werner, 1899; (ii) to study the link between gene genealogy and geographic distribution by implementing spatial genetic analyses, and (iii) to assess whether the distribution of carapace shape variation is in accordance with genetic clusters. The samples from Pcinja and Trebinje possessed divergent haplotypes that corresponded to east (HI) and west (HV) genetic clusters, respectively. Geometric morphometrics was found to be a suitable method to distinguish divergent genetic clusters, arguing for the reassessment of a subspecific ranking within the currently recognized eastern Hermann?s subspecies, T. h. boettgeri.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND

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   Molecular biogeography of Europe: Pleistocene cycles and postglacial trends · 2007

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