title: Molecular evolution and population genetics of Greater Caribbean green turtles (Chelonia mydas) as inferred from mitochondrial DNA control region sequences.
abstract: The molecular evolution and population genetics of migratory green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the Greater Caribbean were examined with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region I sequences. A total of 488 base positions (bp) per individual were aligned for 44 individuals from four nesting populations in Florida, Costa Rica, Aves Island (Venezuela), and Surinam. Twelve sequence polymorphisms were detected, representing ten transitions, one transversion, and one 10-bp repeat. Sequence analyses of within- and between-population diversity revealed a deep divergence between western and eastern Caribbean nesting colonies and an inverse relationship between reproductive female population size and mtDNA diversity. In small populations, genetic admixture was important to maintaining high diversity, whereas larger populations appear to have experienced historical bottlenecks or resulted from founder effects. Mitochondrial DNA sequences of the control region offer an order of magnitude greater resolution than restriction site data for addressing questions about mtDNA variation, both within and between populations of green turtles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611.
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Lahanas
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bjorndal
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Bolten
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D017691:Caribbean Region; D003364:Costa Rica; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D018703:Founder Effect; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012361:RNA, Transfer, Pro / Q000235:genetics; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013532:Suriname; D014426:Turtles / Q000235:genetics*; D014687:Venezuela
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D012361:RNA, Transfer, Pro