The Experts below are selected from a list of 312 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Uwe Fritz - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Fifteen microsatellite markers for the stripe-necked terrapin Mauremys caspica (Testudines: Geoemydidae) and cross-amplification tests in M. rivulata
Conservation Genetics Resources, 2010Co-Authors: Melita Vamberger, Heiko Stuckas, Uwe FritzAbstract:We describe the first 15 microsatellite loci for Mauremys caspica. Thirteen of them were polymorphic with 2–5 alleles per locus, an expected heterozygosity between 0.21 and 0.71, and an observed heterozygosity between 0.24 and 0.88. Cross-species amplification in M. rivulata was successful at 14 loci, with 2–17 alleles per locus, an expected heterozygosity between 0.361 and 0.916, and an observed heterozygosity between 0.333 and 1.000. These microsatellites are expected to be useful for studying population genetics and hybridization of M. caspica and M. rivulata.
-
Impact of mountain chains, sea straits and peripheral populations on genetic and taxonomic structure of a freshwater turtle, Mauremys leprosa (Reptilia, Testudines, Geoemydidae)
Zoologica Scripta, 2006Co-Authors: Uwe Fritz, Guido Fritzsch, Mafalda Barata, Stephen D. Busack, Rita CastilhoAbstract:Mauremys leprosa, distributed in Iberia and North-west Africa, contains two major clades of mtDNA haplotypes. Clade A occurs in Portugal, Spain and Morocco north of the Atlas Mountains. Clade B occurs south of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and north of the Atlas Mountains in eastern Algeria and Tunisia. However, we recorded a single individual containing a clade B haplotype in Morocco from north of the Atlas Mountains. This could indicate gene flow between both clades. The phylogenetically most distinct clade A haplotypes are confined to Morocco, suggesting both clades originated in North Africa. Extensive diversity within clade A in south-western Iberia argues for a glacial refuge located there. Other regions of the Iberian Peninsula, displaying distinctly lower haplotype diversities, were recolonized from within south-western Iberia. Most populations in Portugal, Spain and northern Morocco contain the most common clade A haplotype, indicating dispersal from the south-western Iberian refuge, gene flow across the Strait of Gibraltar, and reinvasion of Morocco by terrapins originating in south-western Iberia. This hypothesis is consistent with demographic analyses, suggesting rapid clade A population increase while clade B is represented by stationary, fragmented populations. We recommend the eight, morphologically weakly diagnosable, subspecies of M. leprosa be reduced to two, reflecting major mtDNA clades: Mauremys l. leprosa (Iberian Peninsula and northern Morocco) and M. l. saharica (southern Morocco, eastern Algeria and Tunisia). Peripheral populations could play an important role in evolution of M. leprosa because we found endemic haplotypes in populations along the northern and southern range borders. Previous investigations in another western Palearctic freshwater turtle (Emys orbicularis) discovered similar differentiation of peripheral populations, and phylogeographies of Emys orbicularis and Mauremys rivulata underline the barrier status of mountain chains, in contrast to sea straits, suggesting common patterns for western Palearctic freshwater turtles.
-
the freshwater turtle genus Mauremys testudines geoemydidae a textbook example of an east west disjunction or a taxonomic misconcept
Zoologica Scripta, 2004Co-Authors: Dana Barth, Detlef Bernhard, Guido Fritzsch, Uwe FritzAbstract:Barth, D. Bernhard, D. Fritzsch, G. & Fritz, U. (2004): The freshwater turtle genus Mauremys— a textbook example of an east–west disjunction or a taxonomic misconcept? —Zoologica Scripta, 33, 213–221. We compare 1036 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt b) from all six Mauremys species with 16 other taxa, representing both currently recognized subfamilies of the Geoemydidae (Geoemydinae and Batagurinae) to contribute a comprehensive dataset towards resolving the conflicting Mauremys taxonomy and phylogeography. Mauremys, a representative of the Geoemydinae, is thought to be an example of a taxon with an east–west disjunction due to Pleistocene glacial extinction, with species occurring in the western Palearctic and species in the eastern Palearctic and Oriental regions. Our results contradict this traditional zoogeographical scheme and the current taxonomy of the Geoemydidae. Mauremys is paraphyletic with respect to two East Asian genera belonging to the Batagurinae: Chinemys and Ocadia. Therefore, Mauremys, as currently understood, clearly represents a taxonomic misconcept. Mauremys+Chinemys+Ocadia contains four well supported clades, two of which —M. japonica+Chinemys+Ocadia and M. annamensis+M. mutica— are confined to eastern Asia. The other two —M. caspica+M. rivulata and M. leprosa— occur in the western Palearctic. Mauremys leprosa may represent an ancient lineage which differentiated before the split between the other western and eastern species occurred. The patchy distribution of the four clades is likely the result of several ancient radiations rather than of a Pleistocene extinction. The sister-group of Mauremys+Chinemys+Ocadia is Cuora, a morphologically highly specialized genus with a complicated shell hinging mechanism.
-
The freshwater turtle genus Mauremys (Testudines, Geoemydidae) — a textbook example of an east–west disjunction or a taxonomic misconcept?
Zoologica Scripta, 2004Co-Authors: Dana Barth, Detlef Bernhard, Guido Fritzsch, Uwe FritzAbstract:Barth, D. Bernhard, D. Fritzsch, G. & Fritz, U. (2004): The freshwater turtle genus Mauremys— a textbook example of an east–west disjunction or a taxonomic misconcept? —Zoologica Scripta, 33, 213–221. We compare 1036 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt b) from all six Mauremys species with 16 other taxa, representing both currently recognized subfamilies of the Geoemydidae (Geoemydinae and Batagurinae) to contribute a comprehensive dataset towards resolving the conflicting Mauremys taxonomy and phylogeography. Mauremys, a representative of the Geoemydinae, is thought to be an example of a taxon with an east–west disjunction due to Pleistocene glacial extinction, with species occurring in the western Palearctic and species in the eastern Palearctic and Oriental regions. Our results contradict this traditional zoogeographical scheme and the current taxonomy of the Geoemydidae. Mauremys is paraphyletic with respect to two East Asian genera belonging to the Batagurinae: Chinemys and Ocadia. Therefore, Mauremys, as currently understood, clearly represents a taxonomic misconcept. Mauremys+Chinemys+Ocadia contains four well supported clades, two of which —M. japonica+Chinemys+Ocadia and M. annamensis+M. mutica— are confined to eastern Asia. The other two —M. caspica+M. rivulata and M. leprosa— occur in the western Palearctic. Mauremys leprosa may represent an ancient lineage which differentiated before the split between the other western and eastern species occurred. The patchy distribution of the four clades is likely the result of several ancient radiations rather than of a Pleistocene extinction. The sister-group of Mauremys+Chinemys+Ocadia is Cuora, a morphologically highly specialized genus with a complicated shell hinging mechanism.
Norihiro Okada - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
extensive morphological convergence and rapid radiation in the evolutionary history of the family geoemydidae old world pond turtles revealed by sine insertion analysis
Systematic Biology, 2006Co-Authors: Takeshi Sasaki, Yuichirou Yasukawa, Kazuhiko Takahashi, Seiko Miura, Andrew M Shedlock, Norihiro OkadaAbstract:The family Geoemydidae is one of three in the superfamily Testudinoidea and is the most diversified family of extant turtle species. The phylogenetic relationships in this family and among related families have been vigorously investigated from both morphological and molecular viewpoints. The evolutionary history of Geoemydidae, however, remains controversial. Therefore, to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of Geoemydidae and related species, we applied the SINE insertion method to investigate 49 informative SINE loci in 28 species. We detected four major evolutionary lineages (Testudinidae, Batagur group, Siebenrockiella group, and Geoemyda group) in the clade Testuguria (a clade of Geoemydidae + Testudinidae). All five specimens of Testudinidae form a monophyletic clade. The Batagur group comprises five batagurines. The Siebenrockiella group has one species, Siebenrockiella crassicollis. The Geoemyda group comprises 15 geoemydines (including three former batagurines, Mauremys reevesii, Mauremys sinensis, and Heosemys annandalii). Among these four groups, the SINE insertion patterns were inconsistent at four loci, suggesting that an ancestral species of Testuguria radiated and rapidly diverged into the four lineages during the initial stage of its evolution. Furthermore, within the Geoemyda group we identified three evolutionary lineages, namely Mauremys, Cuora, and Heosemys. The Heosemys lineage comprises Heosemys, Sacalia, Notochelys, and Melanochelys species, and its monophyly is a novel assemblage in Geoemydidae. Our SINE phylogenetic tree demonstrates extensive convergent morphological evolution between the Batagur group and the three species of the Geoemyda group, M. reevesii, M. sinensis, and H. annandalii. (Convergent evolution; Geoemydidae; incomplete lineage sorting; phylogeny; retroposon; SINE; turtle.)
-
extensive morphological convergence and rapid radiation in the evolutionary history of the family geoemydidae old world pond turtles revealed by sine insertion analysis
Systematic Biology, 2006Co-Authors: Takeshi Sasaki, Yuichirou Yasukawa, Kazuhiko Takahashi, Seiko Miura, Andrew M Shedlock, Norihiro OkadaAbstract:The family Geoemydidae is one of three in the superfamily Testudinoidea and is the most diversified family of extant turtle species. The phylogenetic relationships in this family and among related families have been vigorously investigated from both morphological and molecular viewpoints. The evolutionary history of Geoemydidae, however, remains controversial. Therefore, to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of Geoemydidae and related species, we applied the SINE insertion method to investigate 49 informative SINE loci in 28 species. We detected four major evolutionary lineages (Testudinidae, Batagur group, Siebenrockiella group, and Geoemyda group) in the clade Testuguria (a clade of Geoemydidae + Testudinidae). All five specimens of Testudinidae form a monophyletic clade. The Batagur group comprises five batagurines. The Siebenrockiella group has one species, Siebenrockiella crassicollis. The Geoemyda group comprises 15 geoemydines (including three former batagurines, Mauremys reevesii, Mauremys sinensis, and Heosemys annandalii). Among these four groups, the SINE insertion patterns were inconsistent at four loci, suggesting that an ancestral species of Testuguria radiated and rapidly diverged into the four lineages during the initial stage of its evolution. Furthermore, within the Geoemyda group we identified three evolutionary lineages, namely Mauremys, Cuora, and Heosemys. The Heosemys lineage comprises Heosemys, Sacalia, Notochelys, and Melanochelys species, and its monophyly is a novel assemblage in Geoemydidae. Our SINE phylogenetic tree demonstrates extensive convergent morphological evolution between the Batagur group and the three species of the Geoemyda group, M. reevesii, M. sinensis, and H. annandalii.
Guido Fritzsch - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Impact of mountain chains, sea straits and peripheral populations on genetic and taxonomic structure of a freshwater turtle, Mauremys leprosa (Reptilia, Testudines, Geoemydidae)
Zoologica Scripta, 2006Co-Authors: Uwe Fritz, Guido Fritzsch, Mafalda Barata, Stephen D. Busack, Rita CastilhoAbstract:Mauremys leprosa, distributed in Iberia and North-west Africa, contains two major clades of mtDNA haplotypes. Clade A occurs in Portugal, Spain and Morocco north of the Atlas Mountains. Clade B occurs south of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and north of the Atlas Mountains in eastern Algeria and Tunisia. However, we recorded a single individual containing a clade B haplotype in Morocco from north of the Atlas Mountains. This could indicate gene flow between both clades. The phylogenetically most distinct clade A haplotypes are confined to Morocco, suggesting both clades originated in North Africa. Extensive diversity within clade A in south-western Iberia argues for a glacial refuge located there. Other regions of the Iberian Peninsula, displaying distinctly lower haplotype diversities, were recolonized from within south-western Iberia. Most populations in Portugal, Spain and northern Morocco contain the most common clade A haplotype, indicating dispersal from the south-western Iberian refuge, gene flow across the Strait of Gibraltar, and reinvasion of Morocco by terrapins originating in south-western Iberia. This hypothesis is consistent with demographic analyses, suggesting rapid clade A population increase while clade B is represented by stationary, fragmented populations. We recommend the eight, morphologically weakly diagnosable, subspecies of M. leprosa be reduced to two, reflecting major mtDNA clades: Mauremys l. leprosa (Iberian Peninsula and northern Morocco) and M. l. saharica (southern Morocco, eastern Algeria and Tunisia). Peripheral populations could play an important role in evolution of M. leprosa because we found endemic haplotypes in populations along the northern and southern range borders. Previous investigations in another western Palearctic freshwater turtle (Emys orbicularis) discovered similar differentiation of peripheral populations, and phylogeographies of Emys orbicularis and Mauremys rivulata underline the barrier status of mountain chains, in contrast to sea straits, suggesting common patterns for western Palearctic freshwater turtles.
-
the freshwater turtle genus Mauremys testudines geoemydidae a textbook example of an east west disjunction or a taxonomic misconcept
Zoologica Scripta, 2004Co-Authors: Dana Barth, Detlef Bernhard, Guido Fritzsch, Uwe FritzAbstract:Barth, D. Bernhard, D. Fritzsch, G. & Fritz, U. (2004): The freshwater turtle genus Mauremys— a textbook example of an east–west disjunction or a taxonomic misconcept? —Zoologica Scripta, 33, 213–221. We compare 1036 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt b) from all six Mauremys species with 16 other taxa, representing both currently recognized subfamilies of the Geoemydidae (Geoemydinae and Batagurinae) to contribute a comprehensive dataset towards resolving the conflicting Mauremys taxonomy and phylogeography. Mauremys, a representative of the Geoemydinae, is thought to be an example of a taxon with an east–west disjunction due to Pleistocene glacial extinction, with species occurring in the western Palearctic and species in the eastern Palearctic and Oriental regions. Our results contradict this traditional zoogeographical scheme and the current taxonomy of the Geoemydidae. Mauremys is paraphyletic with respect to two East Asian genera belonging to the Batagurinae: Chinemys and Ocadia. Therefore, Mauremys, as currently understood, clearly represents a taxonomic misconcept. Mauremys+Chinemys+Ocadia contains four well supported clades, two of which —M. japonica+Chinemys+Ocadia and M. annamensis+M. mutica— are confined to eastern Asia. The other two —M. caspica+M. rivulata and M. leprosa— occur in the western Palearctic. Mauremys leprosa may represent an ancient lineage which differentiated before the split between the other western and eastern species occurred. The patchy distribution of the four clades is likely the result of several ancient radiations rather than of a Pleistocene extinction. The sister-group of Mauremys+Chinemys+Ocadia is Cuora, a morphologically highly specialized genus with a complicated shell hinging mechanism.
-
The freshwater turtle genus Mauremys (Testudines, Geoemydidae) — a textbook example of an east–west disjunction or a taxonomic misconcept?
Zoologica Scripta, 2004Co-Authors: Dana Barth, Detlef Bernhard, Guido Fritzsch, Uwe FritzAbstract:Barth, D. Bernhard, D. Fritzsch, G. & Fritz, U. (2004): The freshwater turtle genus Mauremys— a textbook example of an east–west disjunction or a taxonomic misconcept? —Zoologica Scripta, 33, 213–221. We compare 1036 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt b) from all six Mauremys species with 16 other taxa, representing both currently recognized subfamilies of the Geoemydidae (Geoemydinae and Batagurinae) to contribute a comprehensive dataset towards resolving the conflicting Mauremys taxonomy and phylogeography. Mauremys, a representative of the Geoemydinae, is thought to be an example of a taxon with an east–west disjunction due to Pleistocene glacial extinction, with species occurring in the western Palearctic and species in the eastern Palearctic and Oriental regions. Our results contradict this traditional zoogeographical scheme and the current taxonomy of the Geoemydidae. Mauremys is paraphyletic with respect to two East Asian genera belonging to the Batagurinae: Chinemys and Ocadia. Therefore, Mauremys, as currently understood, clearly represents a taxonomic misconcept. Mauremys+Chinemys+Ocadia contains four well supported clades, two of which —M. japonica+Chinemys+Ocadia and M. annamensis+M. mutica— are confined to eastern Asia. The other two —M. caspica+M. rivulata and M. leprosa— occur in the western Palearctic. Mauremys leprosa may represent an ancient lineage which differentiated before the split between the other western and eastern species occurred. The patchy distribution of the four clades is likely the result of several ancient radiations rather than of a Pleistocene extinction. The sister-group of Mauremys+Chinemys+Ocadia is Cuora, a morphologically highly specialized genus with a complicated shell hinging mechanism.
Dana Barth - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
the freshwater turtle genus Mauremys testudines geoemydidae a textbook example of an east west disjunction or a taxonomic misconcept
Zoologica Scripta, 2004Co-Authors: Dana Barth, Detlef Bernhard, Guido Fritzsch, Uwe FritzAbstract:Barth, D. Bernhard, D. Fritzsch, G. & Fritz, U. (2004): The freshwater turtle genus Mauremys— a textbook example of an east–west disjunction or a taxonomic misconcept? —Zoologica Scripta, 33, 213–221. We compare 1036 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt b) from all six Mauremys species with 16 other taxa, representing both currently recognized subfamilies of the Geoemydidae (Geoemydinae and Batagurinae) to contribute a comprehensive dataset towards resolving the conflicting Mauremys taxonomy and phylogeography. Mauremys, a representative of the Geoemydinae, is thought to be an example of a taxon with an east–west disjunction due to Pleistocene glacial extinction, with species occurring in the western Palearctic and species in the eastern Palearctic and Oriental regions. Our results contradict this traditional zoogeographical scheme and the current taxonomy of the Geoemydidae. Mauremys is paraphyletic with respect to two East Asian genera belonging to the Batagurinae: Chinemys and Ocadia. Therefore, Mauremys, as currently understood, clearly represents a taxonomic misconcept. Mauremys+Chinemys+Ocadia contains four well supported clades, two of which —M. japonica+Chinemys+Ocadia and M. annamensis+M. mutica— are confined to eastern Asia. The other two —M. caspica+M. rivulata and M. leprosa— occur in the western Palearctic. Mauremys leprosa may represent an ancient lineage which differentiated before the split between the other western and eastern species occurred. The patchy distribution of the four clades is likely the result of several ancient radiations rather than of a Pleistocene extinction. The sister-group of Mauremys+Chinemys+Ocadia is Cuora, a morphologically highly specialized genus with a complicated shell hinging mechanism.
-
The freshwater turtle genus Mauremys (Testudines, Geoemydidae) — a textbook example of an east–west disjunction or a taxonomic misconcept?
Zoologica Scripta, 2004Co-Authors: Dana Barth, Detlef Bernhard, Guido Fritzsch, Uwe FritzAbstract:Barth, D. Bernhard, D. Fritzsch, G. & Fritz, U. (2004): The freshwater turtle genus Mauremys— a textbook example of an east–west disjunction or a taxonomic misconcept? —Zoologica Scripta, 33, 213–221. We compare 1036 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt b) from all six Mauremys species with 16 other taxa, representing both currently recognized subfamilies of the Geoemydidae (Geoemydinae and Batagurinae) to contribute a comprehensive dataset towards resolving the conflicting Mauremys taxonomy and phylogeography. Mauremys, a representative of the Geoemydinae, is thought to be an example of a taxon with an east–west disjunction due to Pleistocene glacial extinction, with species occurring in the western Palearctic and species in the eastern Palearctic and Oriental regions. Our results contradict this traditional zoogeographical scheme and the current taxonomy of the Geoemydidae. Mauremys is paraphyletic with respect to two East Asian genera belonging to the Batagurinae: Chinemys and Ocadia. Therefore, Mauremys, as currently understood, clearly represents a taxonomic misconcept. Mauremys+Chinemys+Ocadia contains four well supported clades, two of which —M. japonica+Chinemys+Ocadia and M. annamensis+M. mutica— are confined to eastern Asia. The other two —M. caspica+M. rivulata and M. leprosa— occur in the western Palearctic. Mauremys leprosa may represent an ancient lineage which differentiated before the split between the other western and eastern species occurred. The patchy distribution of the four clades is likely the result of several ancient radiations rather than of a Pleistocene extinction. The sister-group of Mauremys+Chinemys+Ocadia is Cuora, a morphologically highly specialized genus with a complicated shell hinging mechanism.
Hidetoshi Ota - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
A New Species of the Genus Mauremys (Testudines: Geoemydidae) from the Upper Pleistocene of Miyakojima Island, Ryukyus Archipelago, Japan
Current Herpetology, 2015Co-Authors: Akio Takahashi, Hiroyuki Otsuka, Hidetoshi OtaAbstract:Abstract: A new extinct species of the genus Mauremys (Testudines: Geoemydidae) is described on the basis of three fossils from the late Pleistocene deposit of Tomori Amaga Cave on Miyakojima Island of the Miyako Island Group, Southern Ryukyus, Japan. Of these fossils, two (the anterior half of the plastron and the nuchal) were previously tentatively identified as Mauremys mutica, an extant species whose distribution is currently confined to the Yaeyama Island Group within the Ryukyus. The turtle represented by these two specimens and another, previously unreported material (left third peripheral) actually most resembles M. japonica from mainland Japan and the Northern Ryukyus, and M. yabei from the middle Pleistocene of mainland Japan. The fossil turtle however, differs from the other two in exhibiting a medial length of the entoplastron greater than the interhyoplastron in ventral view, and in having a longitudinal groove medial to the gulo—humeral sulcus on the epiplastron evident in dorsal view. The p...
-
Genetic and Morphological Assessments of Hybridization Between Two Non-Native Geoemydid Turtles, Mauremys reevesii and Mauremys mutica, in Northcentral Japan
Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 2014Co-Authors: Ryo Fujii, Hidetoshi Ota, Mamoru TodaAbstract:Abstract Interspecific hybridization has been occasionally reported for various combinations of geoemydid turtles, but genetic consequences of such hybridization have rarely been investigated. We surveyed the hybrid status of 40 individuals from a seemingly hybridizing turtle assemblage in a natural pond in northcentral Honshu, Japan. Analysis of mtDNA sequences confirmed that the parental species of this assemblage were Mauremys reevesii (Chinese three-keeled pond turtle) and Mauremys mutica (Asian yellow pond turtle), neither of which is native to the main islands of Japan, although M. reevesii was naturalized in the area before the 19th century. Extensive examination of pure strain samples of the 2 species yielded 10 morphological and 10 genetic diagnostic characters (allozyme and short interspersed repetitive elements) that were used to determine the hybrid status of the turtles in the assemblage. Morphological examination showed that 19 out of 40 individuals were not different from pure M. reevesii i...
-
The First Prehistoric Record of Mauremys mutica (Testudines: Geoemydidae) from the Yaeyama Islands, Southern Ryukyus, Japan
Current Herpetology, 2014Co-Authors: Akio Takahashi, Ryo Fujii, Akira Nakachi, Hidetoshi OtaAbstract:Abstract: Skeletal remains of the geoemydid turtle, Mauremys mutica, were recovered from the lower layer of the Tugurubama archeological site on Yonagunijima Island, which corresponds to the period from the late middle to early late Holocene (ca., 4,000 yBP). These represent the first concrete evidence for the prehistoric occurrence of this turtle in the Yaeyama Islands and offer strong support for the indigenous nature of the current Yaeyama populations of M. mutica.
-
Mauremys japonica (Temminck and Schlegel 1835) – Japanese Pond Turtle
2008Co-Authors: Yuichirou Yasukawa, Takashi Yabe, Hidetoshi OtaAbstract:Figure 1. Adult female Mauremys japonica from Shiga, central Honshu, Japan. Photo by Yuichirou Yasukawa. Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group A.G.J. Rhodin, P.C.H. Pritchard, P.P. van Dijk, R.A. Saumure, K.A. Buhlmann, and J.B. Iverson, Eds. Chelonian Research Monographs (ISSN 1088-7105) No. 5, doi:10.3854/crm.5.003.japonica.v1.2008 © 2008 by Chelonian Research Foundation • Published 15 May 2008
-
Mauremys japonica temminck and schlegel 1835 japanese pond turtle
2008Co-Authors: Yuichirou Yasukawa, Takashi Yabe, Hidetoshi OtaAbstract:Figure 1. Adult female Mauremys japonica from Shiga, central Honshu, Japan. Photo by Yuichirou Yasukawa. Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group A.G.J. Rhodin, P.C.H. Pritchard, P.P. van Dijk, R.A. Saumure, K.A. Buhlmann, and J.B. Iverson, Eds. Chelonian Research Monographs (ISSN 1088-7105) No. 5, doi:10.3854/crm.5.003.japonica.v1.2008 © 2008 by Chelonian Research Foundation • Published 15 May 2008