Uwe Fritz, Dincer Ayaz, Anna K. Hundsdörfer, Tatiana Kotenko, Daniela Guicking, Michael Wink, C. Varol Tok, Kerim Cicek, Jutta Buschbom // Organisms, Diversity & Evolution 9 (2009) 100–114
The European pond turtle, Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758), is one of the world's most widely distributed chelonian species. We investigated its mitochondrial phylogeography and demography using ∼1300 cyt b sequences from the entire range, with a focus on the eastern part, in particular on Turkey, where the species currently suffers massive losses. Coloration data from >1450 turtles were compared with mtDNA differentiation to assess the validity of the currently accepted subspecies from Turkey, the Black Sea Region, the Transcaucasus, and Iran. Our study region harbors considerable part of the mtDNA diversity of Emys, including a newly discovered lineage and 16 new haplotypes. In this area corresponding to approximately one-third of the entire distribution range, six out of the ten mitochondrial lineages and about half of all 72 haplotypes occur. Two mitochondrial lineages (VIII, X) are confined to small ranges along the southern coast of Turkey, another lineage (I) occupies the remainder of Turkey, the entire Black Sea Region, and the north-eastern part of the species’ range. In the south-western corner of the Black Sea and in the Aegean Region, two lineages (II, IV) occur that have their main distribution areas farther west. In the Transcaucasus and northern Iran, another endemic lineage (VII) is found. Lineage I is the largest and most diverse of all lineages and has its greatest diversity in Anatolia. Phylogeographic and demographic data suggest Anatolia as an ancient glacial refuge for turtles harboring mitochondrial lineages I, VIII and X, and that Anatolia and the Black Sea coasts constitute a hotspot for a younger burst of diversification within lineage I. These two regions correspond to the glacial refuge from which lineage I turtles recolonized more northerly parts of the range in the Holocene; lineage II represents an off-shoot of lineage I that became isolated in a westward-located refuge in the south-eastern Balkans during a previous Pleistocene glacial. Our data on coloration indicate that such characters have only limited value for delineating evolutionarily significant units. We propose to reduce the number of subspecies using mtDNA lineages as arbiter, and to recognize three subspecies as valid in Turkey, the Black Sea Region, the Transcaucasus and Iran: Emys orbicularis orbicularis (mtDNA lineage I); E. o. eiselti Fritz et al., 1998 (X); and E. o. persica Eichwald, 1831 (VII). However, the southern Turkish lineage VIII most probably represents an additional undescribed subspecies. Both southern Turkish endemics are critically endangered, with only three surviving populations of fewer than 30 adults each. We recommend establishing sanctuaries for them, and including them in the IUCN Red List.
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579Uwe Fritz // Mertensiella 10 (1998) : 1–27
A summary and discussion of the present knowledge of subspecific differentiation, distribution, fossil history, and zoogeography of the European pond turtle, Emys orbicularis, is presented. Special emphasis is given to Holocene range fluctuations. E. orbicularis ranges from the Maghreb region in North Africa over the lberian peninsula and most parts of South and Central Europe and Asia Minor to the Ara! Sea. This taxon is highly polytypic, and 13 subspecies are now distinguished. However, most probably some additional populations deserve subspecific rank. The highest subspecific diversity is found in the southern areas ofthe species' range, reflecting the Pleistocene extinctions and recolonisations of the more northern areas from only few glacial refugia. E. orbicularis is the sole Old World representative of the Emydinae, an otherwise exclusively Nearctic turtle subfamily. Most probably, the ancestors of E. orbicularis reached the Palaearctis during the Middle or Upper Tertiary over the Bering Bridge. This implies an Old World radiation of Emys from East Asia to the West. In accordance with this assumption, the oldest known Emys fossils are from the Middle Miocene from the area of the former Turgai Strait in Central Asia which separated Europe from East Asia until the Oligocene. With the exception of the problematical Emys wermuthi MLYNARSKI, 1956 from Poland, all fossil taxa represent chronospecies, leading to the recent E. orbicularis. In the Mediterranean, the fossil record is quite incomplete, the oldest findings dating only back to the Villafranca. The Holocene distribution pattern of E. orbicularis is much influenced by man, especially in Central Europe. The northern distribution Iimit is not a natural one. Instead, it reflects impacts over the course of thousands of years in a heavily disturbed environment.
Uwe Fritz // Zool. Abh. Mus. Tierk. Dresden, 1994. 48 (4): 53-93
Борисова Н.В., Урыкина Л.П. // Естественнонаучные исследования в Чувашии: материалы докладов региональной научно-практической конференции (г. Чебоксары, 21 ноября 2017 г.). Выпуск 4. – Чебоксары: рекламно-полиграфическое бюро «Плакат», 2017. С. 78 - 80
В статье сообщается о новых находках европейской болотной черепахи [Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758)] в Алатырском и Порецком районах Чувашской Республики.
Дуйсебаева Т.Н., Брушко З.К., Сараев Ф.А., Бидашко Ф.Г. // Пространственно-временная динамика биоты и экосистем Арало-Каспийского бассейна. Мат. II Международной конф., посвященной памяти выдающегося натуралиста и путешественника Н. А. Зарудного. - Оренбург: ИПК "Университет", 2017. С. 174 - 183
Уникальные находки болотной черепахи Emys orbicularis в долине реки Аракс зарегистрированы в 2004-2008 гг.. Проникновение этого вида в долину реки Аракс возможно от места слияния с водами реки Куры и далее с побережья Каспийского моря. Подвидовая принадлежность ее остается спорной. Морфологически эти черепахи близки к E. о. iberica.
Geographic variation in the mtDNA haplotypes (cytochrome b gene) of 127 European pond turtles from Italy was investigated. Thirty-eight of the Italian samples were also studied by nuclear fingerprinting (ISSR PCR) and compared with samples from other parts of the range representing all nine currently known mtDNA lineages of Emys orbicularis. Our genetic findings were compared against morphological data sets (measurements, colour pattern) for 109 adult turtles from southern Italy. Italy is displaying on a small geographical scale the most complicated variation known over the entire distributional area of Emys (North Africa over Europe and Asia Minor to the Caspian and Aral Seas). The Tyrrhenic coast of the Apennine Peninsula, the Mt. Pollino area and Basilicata are inhabited by Emys orbicularis galloitalica, a subspecies harbouring a distinct mtDNA lineage. The same lineage is also found in Sardinia. Along the Adriatic coast of Italy and on the Salentine Peninsula (Apulia, southern Italy), another morphologically distinctive subspecies (Emys orbicularis hellenica) occurs, which also bears a different mtDNA lineage. A higher diversity of mtDNA haplotypes in the south of the Apennine Peninsula suggests that the glacial refugia of E. o. galloitalica and E. o. hellenica were located here. A further refuge of E. o. hellenica probably existed in the southern Balkans. The west coasts of the Balkans and Corfu have probably been colonized from Italy and not from the geographically closer southern Balkanic refuge. In Sicily, a third mtDNA lineage is distributed, which is sister to all other known lineages of Emys. Morphologically, Sicilian pond turtles resemble E. o. galloitalica. However, nuclear fingerprinting revealed a clear distinctiveness of the Sicilian taxon, whereas no significant divergence was detected between representatives of the other eight mtDNA lineages of Emys. Furthermore, nuclear fingerprinting provided no evidence for current or past gene flow between the Sicilian taxon and the mainland subspecies of E. orbicularis. Therefore, Sicilian pond turtles are described here as a species new to science. Some populations in Calabria and on the Salentine Peninsula comprise individuals of different mtDNA lineages. We interpret this as a natural contact. However, we cannot exclude that these syntopic occurrences are the result of human activity. For example, in other parts of Italy, the natural distribution pattern of Emys is obscured by allochthonous turtles. This could also be true for southern Italy. The discovery of the complex taxonomic differentiation in southern Italy requires reconsidering conservation strategies.
Nest sites of the European pond turtle Emys orbicularis were marked in the Borowiec Nature Reserve (central Poland) from 1987 to 2002. In this area the turtle could lay eggs once a year. For 13 females, four to 12 nest sites per individual are known from the period studied. Spatial distribution of the sites is presented on maps. Only a small proportion of the female turtles displayed fi delity to a particular nesting sites, whilst others changed their nesting area. Even if there are nesting areas near water bodies, some of the females opt to use other sites. The results of the study suggest that, to gather accurate data about nesting areas used by the turtle, long-term studies are needed. Protection of the used as well as potential nesting areas (on which during short term studies laying was not recorded) could be important for conservation of the turtle.
The phylogeny and phylogeography of Emys orbicularis was inferred from mitochondrial nucleotide sequences of the cytochrome b gene analysed by DNA sequencing and RNA heteroduplex analysis. Within the family Emydidae the monotypic genus Emys is affiliated with the nearctic taxa Emydoidea blandingii and Clemmys marmorata. The analysis of 423 individuals of E. orbicularis, originating throughout its distribution range, revealed a remarkable intraspecific differentiation in 20 different haplotypes with distinct geographical ranges. Maximum parsimony analysis produced a star-like phylogeny with seven main lineages which may reflect separations in the late Pliocene. The haplotype distribution examined by partial Mantel tests and analysis of molecular variance revealed a substantial effect of glacial periods. This historical perspective suggests the existence of multiple glacial refugia and considerable Holocene range expansion which was modulated by climatic traits. Further support is gained for the occurrence of long-term parapatry in glacial refugia.
Based on ecological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis, it is possible to try to reconstruct the evolution of ecological traits in turtles. However, the European pond turtle is treated by different scientists as aquatic or as semi-aquatic species. The importance of terrestrial behaviour for this species is discussed.
The European pond turtle, Emys orbicularis, is widely distributed in the plains and foothills of Daghestan (southernmost Russia). Recent distribution records for different zones of Daghestan as well as several population characteristics (biotope preferences, population densities, seasonal activity, reproduction) are presented, obtained during herpetological studies in 1991—2002. The conservational state of populations and the main threats are discussed.
