Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 29, 2026

A Video Surveillance System to Monitor Breeding Colonies of Common Terns Sterna Hirundo

A Video Surveillance System to Monitor Breeding Colonies of Common Terns Sterna Hirundo

Published on: July 22, 2018

Phylogeography, Genetic Diversity, and Management Units of Hawksbill Turtles in the Indo-Pacific

Sarah M Vargas¹, Michael P Jensen², Simon Y W Ho²

¹Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES 29043-900, Brazil (Vargas); School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia (Vargas and Ho); National Research Council under contract to Marine Mammal & Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, CA (Jensen); Natural History Museum and Genetic Resources Bureau, Department of the Environment Pardisan Eco-Park, Hemmat Highway, Tehran, Iran (Mobaraki); Department of Zoology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia (Broderick); Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (Mortimer); Department of Land Resource Management, Palmerston, Australia (Whiting); Biological Research and Education Consultants, Missoula, MT (Miller); Marine Science Program, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Kensington, Australia (Prince); Marine Turtle Conservation Threatened Species Unit, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, Queensland, Australia (Bell); Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 110, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia (Hoenner); Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, Brisbane, Australia (Limpus); Laboratório de Biodiversidade e Evolução Molecular (LBEM), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil (Santos); and Natural Environments Program, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Australia (FitzSimmons). Damien Broderick is now at 247 Anne St, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia. Jeanne A. Mortimer is now at PO Box 1443, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles. Scott Whiting is now at Marine Science Program, Department of Parks and Wildlife, 17 Dick Perry Ave, Kensington, WA 6151, Australia. sarahmvbio@gmail.com.

The Journal of Heredity

|November 29, 2015

Abstract:

Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) populations have experienced global decline because of a history of intense commercial exploitation for shell and stuffed taxidermied whole animals, and harvest for eggs and meat. Improved understanding of genetic diversity and phylogeography is needed to aid conservation. In this study, we analyzed the most geographically comprehensive sample of hawksbill turtles from the Indo-Pacific Ocean, sequencing 766 bp of the mitochondrial control region from 13 locations (plus Aldabra, n = 4) spanning over 13500 km. Our analysis of 492 samples revealed 52 haplotypes distributed in 5 divergent clades. Diversification times differed between the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic lineages and appear to be related to the sea-level changes that occurred during the Last Glacial Maximum. We found signals of demographic expansion only for turtles from the Persian Gulf region, which can be tied to a more recent colonization event. Our analyses revealed evidence of transoceanic migration, including connections between feeding grounds from the Atlantic Ocean and Indo-Pacific rookeries. Hawksbill turtles appear to have a complex pattern of phylogeography, showing a weak isolation by distance and evidence of multiple colonization events. Our novel dataset will allow mixed-stock analyses of hawksbill turtle feeding grounds in the Indo-Pacific by providing baseline data needed for conservation efforts in the region. Eight management units are proposed in our study for the Indo-Pacific region that can be incorporated in conservation plans of this critically endangered species.

Keywords:

marine conservation marine turtles mitochondrial DNA population genetic structure

More Related Videos

Data Collection on Marine Litter Ingestion in Sea Turtles and Thresholds for Good Environmental Status

Data Collection on Marine Litter Ingestion in Sea Turtles and Thresholds for Good Environmental Status

Published on: May 18, 2019

In Situ Hybridization Techniques for Paraffin-Embedded Adult Coral Samples

In Situ Hybridization Techniques for Paraffin-Embedded Adult Coral Samples

Published on: August 31, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Habitat Fragmentation

Habitat Fragmentation

Habitat fragmentation describes the division of a more extensive, continuous habitat into smaller, discontinuous areas. Human activities such as land conversion, as well as slower geological processes leading to changes in the physical environment, are the two leading causes of habitat fragmentation. The fragmentation process typically follows the same steps: perforation, dissection, fragmentation, shrinkage, and attrition.

Conservation of Declining Populations

Conservation of Declining Populations

Conservation of declining population focuses on ways of detecting, diagnosing, and halting a population decline. The approach uses methods to prevent populations from going extinct.

Keystone Species

Keystone Species

Measures of species biodiversity, such as richness (i.e., the number of species present) and evenness (i.e., their relative abundance), describe an ecological community’s structure. Many factors affect community structure, including abiotic factors (e.g., sunlight and nutrients), disturbances (e.g., fire or flood), species interactions (e.g., predation or competition), and chance events (e.g., foreign species invasion). Certain species—such as keystone species—also play a...

Conservation of Small Populations

Conservation of Small Populations

Small population sizes put a species at extreme risk of extinction due to a lack of variation, and a consequent decrease in adaptability. This weakens the chances of survival under pressures such as climate change, competition from other species, or new diseases. Large populations are more likely to survive pressures such as these, as such populations are more likely to harbor individuals that have genetic variants that are adaptive under new stresses. Small populations are much less...

Speciation Rates

Speciation Rates

Hybrid Zones

Hybrid Zones

Hybrid zones are narrow regions where two closely related species interact, mate, and produce hybrids. Relative to either parent species, hybrids may possess distinct phenotypic or genetic differences that impact their survival and reproductive success. The genetic variances introduced by hybridization influence species diversity and speciation processes within the hybrid zone.

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sea Turtle Nesting Beach Fidelity Revealed by Satellite Tracking.

Ecology and evolution·2026

Haplotypes across the Oceans: worldwide phylogeography, evolution, conservation and nomenclature standardization in the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).

PloS one·2026

Unique Population or Unique Species? Genetic Insights Into the Pygmy Freshwater Crocodiles of Northern Australia.

Ecology and evolution·2026

Patient experiences of laser and surgical lid procedures performed by optometrists.

Clinical & experimental optometry·2026

The biogeographic and evolutionary history of Leiosauridae lizards reveal the influence of complex environmental and geological past dynamics in the Neotropical biomes.

Molecular phylogenetics and evolution·2026

The evolutionary history and unique genetic diversity of Indigenous Americans.

Nature·2026

See all related articles