Endangered wild turtles in Central America have a "surprising lack" of genetic structure that researchers think has something to do with the ancient Mayans, according to a recent genetic study.
Researchers with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute who are involved with the conservation of the Central American river turtle collected small tissue samples from 238 wild turtles at 15 different locations in southern Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. The turtles represented populations from three different river basins, which are separated geographically by significant distance and high mountains.
"We were expecting to find a different genetic lineage in each drainage basin," said Gracia Gonzalez-Porter, the study's main author.
"Instead, we found the mixing of lineages. It was all over the place."
The genetic data showed that the different turtle populations had been in close contact for years, the study says.
Although they don't know for certain how that may have happened, the researchers say the best possible explanation is that humans have been bringing them together.
"For centuries, this species has been part of the Mayans and other indigenous people who lived in its historic distribution range," the study says. "(The species) was a very important source of animal protein for the ancient Mayans of the Peten ... And it is possible that these turtles were part of the diet of the Olmec culture more than 3,000 years ago."
Gonzalez-Porter says that the turtles are easy to transport because they are tame and resilient, and their shells give them lots of protection.
There is an ancient sculpture of a Central American river turtle at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City that was found in the Basin of Mexico, which is more than 350 km from the turtle's range.
The river turtle is the most endangered turtle species in Central America, and a recent increase in the demand for its meat has pushed it to the brink of extinction, researchers say.
Source
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Science/2011/07/22/18457476.html
Researchers with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute who are involved with the conservation of the Central American river turtle collected small tissue samples from 238 wild turtles at 15 different locations in southern Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. The turtles represented populations from three different river basins, which are separated geographically by significant distance and high mountains.
"We were expecting to find a different genetic lineage in each drainage basin," said Gracia Gonzalez-Porter, the study's main author.
"Instead, we found the mixing of lineages. It was all over the place."
The genetic data showed that the different turtle populations had been in close contact for years, the study says.
Although they don't know for certain how that may have happened, the researchers say the best possible explanation is that humans have been bringing them together.
"For centuries, this species has been part of the Mayans and other indigenous people who lived in its historic distribution range," the study says. "(The species) was a very important source of animal protein for the ancient Mayans of the Peten ... And it is possible that these turtles were part of the diet of the Olmec culture more than 3,000 years ago."
Gonzalez-Porter says that the turtles are easy to transport because they are tame and resilient, and their shells give them lots of protection.
There is an ancient sculpture of a Central American river turtle at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City that was found in the Basin of Mexico, which is more than 350 km from the turtle's range.
The river turtle is the most endangered turtle species in Central America, and a recent increase in the demand for its meat has pushed it to the brink of extinction, researchers say.
Source
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Science/2011/07/22/18457476.html
