Sea turtles

mtDNA variation of the critically endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting on Iranian islands of the Persian Gulf

M. Tabib, Zolgharnein, H., Mohammadi, M., Salari-Aliabadi, M. A., Qasemi, A., Roshani, S., Rajabi-Maham, H., and Frootan, F., “mtDNA variation of the critically endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting on Iranian islands of the Persian Gulf”, vol. 10, pp. 1499-1503, 2011.

Genetic diversity of sea turtles (hawksbill turtle) was studied using sequencing of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA, D-loop region). Thirty dead embryos were collected from the Kish and Qeshm Islands in the Persian Gulf. Analysis of sequence variation over 890 bp of the mtDNA control region revealed five haplotypes among 30 individuals. This is the first time that Iranian haplotypes have been recorded. Nucleotide and haplotype diversity was 0.77 and 0.001 for Qeshm Island and 0.64 and 0.002 for Kish Island, respectively.

Detection of polymorphisms of the mtDNA control region of Caretta caretta (Testudines: Cheloniidae) by PCR-SSCP

E. C. Reis, Albano, R. M., Bondioli, A. C. V., Soares, L. S., Lôbo-Hajdu, G., and Lôbo-Hajdu, G., “Detection of polymorphisms of the mtDNA control region of Caretta caretta (Testudines: Cheloniidae) by PCR-SSCP”, vol. 8, pp. 215-222, 2009.

Marine turtles are increasingly being threatened worldwide by anthropogenic activities. Better understanding of their life cycle, behavior and population structure is imperative for the design of adequate conservation strategies. The mtDNA control region is a fast-evolving matrilineal marker that has been employed in the study of marine turtle populations. We developed and tested a simple molecular tracing system for Caretta caretta mtDNA haplotypes by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP).

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