Repeated sampling adds to the genetic diversity of Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz 1829) olive ridley sea turtle

ABSTRACT

First sampled in the late 1990s, Campamento Tortuguero La Gloria, in Jalisco, Mexico, was resampled for olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochyles olivacea Eschscholtz) diversity 10 years later. A comparison with all previously reported mitochondrial sequences revealed that these new samples added to the known genetic diversity for this species, and revealed unexpectedly high genetic diversity among turtles nesting on this beach. The results highlight the importance of systematic resampling in known nesting rookeries to verify the genetic diversity of study populations. Three new olive ridley haplotypes are reported, all more closely related to Baja Californian haplotypes than to Australian haplotypes. Significant genetic divergence is reported within populations, within ocean basins (Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Indo-Pacific), and between ocean basins. Furthermore, this is the first study that integrates satellite tagging data to demonstrate diverse post-nesting migration patterns of turtles with identical haplotypes, and it demonstrates flexibility in post-nesting migratory behaviour for olive ridley sea turtles of the same genetic provenance.

KEYWORDS:

• Lepidochelys
• haplotype
• Pacific Ocean
• Migration Behavior

Acknowledgements

We thank The Crane Foundation, Wooster School in Danbury CT, and Western Connecticut State University for resources supporting satellite tracking. We thank Christine Lener of Wooster School and WCSU Biology Student Jeff Pioli for their field help, and WCSU Biology Student Esau Rojas for his field and Spanish-English translating help. We thank all of our friends at the University of Guadalajara who helped with transportation and logistical help, and we thank our Campamento Tortuguero La Gloria hosts for their hospitality. We thank the Goldring Family Foundation for supporting the molecular analysis of the data.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Geolocation Information

Campamento Tortuguero La Gloria, Tomatlán Jalisco Mexico (19.8981°N, −105.4232°W).