Biosystematics Study of Emys orbicularis in Southern Coastal of Caspian Sea
Subject Areas : Journal of Animal Biology
1 - دانشگاه اراک، دانشکده علوم پایه، گروه زیست شناسی
2 - دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد دامغان، گروه زیست شناسی
Keywords: East Azarbaijan, Mazandaran, Ardebil, Emys orbicularis, Morphological comparison, Golastan,
Abstract :
The European pond turtle, Emys orbicularis (L., 1758), is widespread. The distribution of this species has wide dispersal in the North and West of Iran and reaches eastwards to the Caspian and Aral Seas. In order to find out possible populations differentiations, a survey was conducted from Apr. 2008 to Sep. 2009 in the southern coastal of Caspian Sea including Golastan, Mazandaran, Ardebil and East Azarbaijan province. The natural history of specimens are presented. Forty morphometric characters in 30 adult males from four populations have been measured. Using ANOVA, it was showed East Azarbaijan and Golastan populations have the highest mean in the most of characters in comparison with the other populations. Principle Component Analysis (PCA), in males exploited four means components. The components expressed 71.85%, 11.65%, 4.6% and 2.5% changes, respectively. Dispersion of Specimens based on components showed that Ardebil population is separated from other populations based on the first component, completely, but the other populations closed to each other. It seems that habitat differences, geographical and ecological situation are the reason for this separation. Cluster analysis showed all of populations were placed separately, but one of specimens of East Azarbaijan was placed in separate branch. So this interesting finding can be inferred by new haplotype.