Rhinoclemmys Punctularia Research Articles

New record of Spot-Legged Turtle, Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin, 1801) (Reptilia, Testudines, Geoemydidae), from an Amazon ecotonal zone in the Tocantins–Araguaia river basin, Brazil

We report a new record of Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin, 1801), extending the geographic dis-tribution of this species by 450 km towards the south to the Araguaia River in the state of Pará, Brazil. The new record comes from an ecotonal area of the Cerrado and Amazon biomes, which indicates a possible adaptability of this species in fragmented environments and in agricultural areas. These new findings help enable future investi-gations better understand the distribution of R. punctularia in the southern Amazon Basin and in ecotones.

Ecological aspects of Rhinoclemmys punctularia punctularia (Testudines: Geoemydidae) in two localities in northern Brazil

ABSTRACT Rhinoclemmys punctularia punctularia is the only turtle of the family Geoemydidae with part of its range in Brazil. The species is semi-aquatic and widely distributed across the Amazon basin but is still poorly studied. We evaluated aspects of the population structure, habitat use, seasonal activity, and diet of the species during one year, from the beginning of the rainy season to the end of the dry season, in two headwater localities in the Tocantins and Tapajós river basins, in the state of Pará, Brazil. We captured 45 individuals, 14 in the Tocantins basin and 31 in the Tapajós basin. The size-class frequency distributions of captured individuals did not differ between the two samples. The turtles were most frequently captured in first-order streams, followed by lentic (third-order dammed streams) and second-order streams. The capture rate did not vary significantly between sampling periods (start and peak of the rainy season; start and end of the dry season). The trapping effort to capture a single individual was much higher in the Tapajós basin (1,215 trap-hours) than in the Tocantins basin (136 trap-hours). Overall, the low capture rates confirm the secretive nature of the species in Amazonia and its apparent rarity. The individuals analyzed in this study consumed mainly plants.

Vogtnema asymmetrica n. gen., n. sp. (Nematoda: Cosmocercoidea: Atractidae) parasite of Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin) (Testudines: Geoemydidae) from eastern Amazon, Brazil.

Nematodes collected from the stomach and large intestine of Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin) from the eastern Amazon, Brazil, are assigned to a new genus, Vogtnema n. gen., allocated in the family Atractidae (Cosmocerdoidea). Vogtnema n. gen. differs from all other genera of Atractidae based on the combination of the following morphological characters: four lips V-shaped (two subdorsal and two subventral) without sclerotized structures associated, absence of sclerotized formations and/or pieces surrounding the oral opening, oral aperture surrounded by flange internal membranous structures; in males the larger spicule is alate. The type species Vogtnema asymmetrica n. gen., n. sp. has the five precloacal pairs of papillae situated on the right side of the body that are more prominent than those on the left side. We also provide an identification key to the genera of the family Atractidae.

Non-Avian Reptiles of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: status of knowledge and commented list

We assessed the current knowledge on non-avian reptile species composition in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), southeastern Brazil. We used published data in indexed journals and verified voucher specimens housed in two herpetological collections of the Museu Nacional (UFRJ), and the Laboratory of Reptiles (ZUFRJ). We also confirmed vouchers from Instituto Vital Brazil (IVB) and from the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ). We compiled a list containing 149 species of reptiles, distributed among Testudines (N = 15), Crocodylia (N = 1) and Squamata (N = 133; six amphisbaenians, 38 lizards and 89 snakes). Our results add 20 species to the previous list known for the state. Four species recorded are endemic to the state of Rio de Janeiro (Anolis neglectus, Glaucomastix littoralis, Leposternon scutigerum, and Liolaemus lutzae). We identified that 21 reptile species recorded in RJ state (nearly 15% of the total) are included in some threat category either in the IUCN, Brazilian (ICMBio) or state lists of endangered species. We also report that seven of the reptiles recorded are non-indigenous to the state: Cnemidophorus aff. lemniscatus (= Cnemidophorus cryptus), Anolis sagrei, Trachemys scripta, Trachemys dorbigni, Hemidactylus mabouia, Crotalus durissus terrificus, and Rhinoclemmys punctularia. The checklist presented here provides a comprehensive database for further research on the herpetofauna of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

Molecular cytogenetics characterization of Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Testudines, Geoemydidae) and description of a Gypsy-H3 association in its genome.

The wide variation found in the size of eukaryotic genomes is largely related to the accumulation of repetitive sequences. Studies show that these sequences can go through an evolutionary process (molecular co-optation) and acquire new genomic functions. Cytogenetic studies reveal a wide karyotypic variation between chelonians (order Testudines) (2n=26-68), attributed mainly to the number of microchromosomes. The study of repetitive DNAs has the potential to provide data on the dynamics of these sequences, and how they influence the organization of the genome. Here, we reveal the first in situ mapping data of 45S rDNA, histone H3 genes, and telomeric sequences, for a species of the genus Rhinoclemmys, R. punctularia. The karyotype described here for R. punctularia is different from previous reports for the diploid complement of this species, with differences probably attributable to centric fissions and pericentric inversions or centromere repositioning. The 45S rDNA are on a single chromosome pair (like in other turtles), telomeric sequences are in terminal position on all the chromosomes, and histone H3 is dispersed in low copy number, with clusters in pericentromeric regions of three chromosome pairs. We report on the presence of a Gypsy retrotransposon insert located within H3 histone of R. punctularia, and the H3 region sequenced contained the open reading frame of the histone sequence. Comparative modeling revealed a functional pattern for the protein, thus suggesting that the Gypsy element might have been recruited for new functions in the genome of this species.

Identification of antibodies to Leptospira spp. in the spot-legged turtle (Rhinoclemmys punctularia) maintained in captivity

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of worldwide distribution in which the agent can infect several animal species and accidentally humans. In view of the limited number of studies on anti-Leptospira antibodies in wild animal species, especially those living in aquatic environments, we sought in this study to investigate the presence of these antibodies in the spot-legged turtle (Rhinoclemmys punctularia) maintained in captivity in the Rodrigues Alves Botanical Garden–Amazon Zoobotanical Park, located in Belém, Pará State, Brazil. Serum samples were collected from 31 turtles, and identification of anti-Leptospira antibodies was performed using the microscopic agglutination test, using a collection of 31 live antigens which represent 19 serogroups of Leptospira. Among the analyzed samples, 54.83% (17/31) were observed to be reactive, and co-agglutination was detected in a further six samples which were not accounted for in the frequency of serogroups. The most frequently detected serogroups were Tarassovi 72.72% (8/11), Celledoni 18.18% (2/11), and Pomona 9.09% (1/11)], with titers ranging from 200 to 400, being this the first study to report infection of these serogroups in this species of chelonios. The animals were kept in water tanks, which probably favored the transport of the agent and allowed its transmission to the spot-legged turtle. We thus confirmed presence of anti-Leptospira antibodies in chelonians maintained in the Rodrigues Alves Botanical Garden.

More than Fish – The Potential of Baited Remote Underwater Video to Assess Freshwater Herpetofauna and Dolphins

We discuss new applications of baited remote underwater video (BRUV) systems based on recordings of Amazonian freshwater fauna during a long-term fish monitoring program in the Xingu River, Brazil. BRUVs facilitated estimates of relative abundance and frequency of occurrence for species of river turtles (Podocnemis unifilis, P. expansa, Rhinoclemmys punctularia), river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) and spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) in a variety of habitats including rocky rapids, submerged sandy beaches, an artificial reservoir and the Xingu Ria.

Tracking platyhelminth parasite diversity from freshwater turtles in French Guiana: First report of Neopolystoma Price, 1939\xa0(Monogenea: Polystomatidae) with the description of three new species

BackgroundPolystomatid flatworms in chelonians are divided into three genera, i.e. Polystomoides Ward, 1917, Polystomoidella Price, 1939 and Neopolystoma Price, 1939, according to the number of haptoral hooks. Among the about 55 polystome species that are known to date from the 327 modern living chelonians, only four species of Polystomoides are currently recognised within the 45 South American freshwater turtles.MethodsDuring 2012, several sites in the vicinity of the cities Cayenne and Kaw in French Guiana were investigated for freshwater turtles. Turtles were collected at six sites and the presence of polystomatid flatworms was assessed from the presence of polystome eggs released by infected specimens.ResultsAmong the three turtle species that were collected, no polystomes were found in the gibba turtle Mesoclemmys gibba (Schweigger, 1812). The spot-legged turtle Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin, 1801) was infected with two species of Neopolystoma Price, 1939, one in the conjunctival sacs and the other in the urinary bladder, while the scorpion mud turtle Kinosternon scorpioides (Linnaeus, 1766) was found to be infected with a single Neopolystoma species in the conjunctival sacs. These parasites could be distinguished from known species of Neopolystoma by a combination of morphological characteristics including body size, number and length of genital spines, shape and size of the testis. They were also differentiated at the molecular level using the cox1 gene marker. Based on morphological and genetic evidences, three new species are described herein, namely Neopolystoma cayensis n. sp. and Neopolystoma guianensis n. sp. from the bladder and the conjunctival sacs of R. punctularia, respectively, and Neopolystoma scorpioides n. sp. from the conjunctival sacs of K. scorpioides. However the monophyly of Polystomoides and Neopolystoma is still questioned regarding their phylogeny based on a dataset comprising four concatenated genes, namely, 18S, 28S and 12S rRNA genes and cox1.ConclusionsIn addition to these being the first chelonian polystomes to be reported and described from French Guiana, they represent the first polystomes from the hosts K. scorpioides and R. punctularia and the first representatives of Neopolystoma from South America. Chelonian polystomes now require an in-depth morphological study to reconcile the taxonomy of the genera with species evolution.

Filling gaps in the disjunct distribution of Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin, 1801) (Testudines: Geoemydidae) and first record from Bahia state, northeast Brazil

Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin, 1801) inhabits rivers and lakes primarily in the Amazon region, with a disjunct population in southeastern Brazil. Herein we present the second record of R. punctularia from the Atlantic rainforest and the first from the state of Bahia, northeast Brazil. We recorded four specimens over a decade in different habitats from the north coast of Bahia. Our records fill distribution gaps of 980 km from the northern record in Maranhão and 1,130 km from the southern population.

Testing the efficiency of protected areas in the Amazon for conserving freshwater turtles

AbstractAimWe used chelonian distribution data to (1) predict suitable areas of the occurrence for freshwater turtle species using species distribution models and (2) evaluate whether these species are protected by the current network of protected areas (PAs).LocationThe Brazilian Amazon.MethodsWe generated predictions of suitable areas for chelonian occurrence based onBIOCLIM,SVM,GLMand maximum entropy modelling procedures. We used maximum entropy to run the gap analysis and compared the effectiveness of three kinds of protected areas with different levels of protection: (1) integral protection areas (IPA) only; (2) integral protection areas + sustainable use areas (IPA+SUA); and (3) integral protection areas + sustainable use areas + indigenous lands (IPA + SUA + IL).ResultsWe identified only one full gap species,Mesoclemmys nasuta, whose distribution is not included in anyPAs. Other chelonian species have at least a portion of their distribution included inPAs. Some protected species and partial gap species occur in areas with high rates of deforestation. ConsideringPAs with the highest level of protection (IPA), onlyRhinoclemmys punctulariaandKinosternon scorpioidesachieve their conservation targets. In theIPA + SUAscenario, conservation targets of some species with small range sizes are not achieved. When allPAtypes were considered (IPA + SUA + IL), only two species fail to achieve their conservation targets,Acanthochelys macrocephalaandM. nasuta.Main conclusionsDespite the large number ofPAs in the Brazilian Amazon,IPAs alone are not sufficient for capturing suitable areas for freshwater turtles. The inclusion ofSUAandILis crucial for achieving coverage targets for most species. However, chelonians may be overharvested inSUAs andILs, due to their importance as a food resource. Areas that have high turtle richness next to existingPAs and the needs of traditional cultures should be considered in management planning for freshwater turtles.

Filling gaps on the distribution of Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin, 1801) (Testudines: Geoemydidae) in the state of Maranhão, Brazil

We present a new record of the spot-legged turtle (Rhinoclemmys punctularia) for the state of Maranhão, Brazil. This record fills a gap of 600 km between the easternmost record of the species (municipality of Timon, state of Maranhão) and Ananás (state of Tocantins). In addition, the present study reports the occurrence of R. punctularia in a physiognomy of Cerrado.

Habitat use, size structure and sex ratio of the spot-legged turtle, <i>Rhinoclemmys punctularia punctularia</i> (Testudines: Geoemydidae), in Algodoal-Maiandeua Island, Pará, Brazil.

Rhinoclemmys punctularia punctularia is a semi-aquatic chelonian found in Northern South America. We analyzed the habitat use, size structure and sex ratio of the species on Algodoal-Maiandeua Island, a protected area on the Northeastern coast of the Brazilian state of Pará. Four distinct habitats (coastal plain lake, flooded forest "igapó", interdunal lakes, and tidal channels) were surveyed during the rainy (March and April) and dry (August and September) seasons of 2009, using hoop traps. For the analysis of population structure, additional data were taken in March and August, 2008. A total of 169 individuals were captured in flooded forest (igapó), lakes of the coastal plain and, occasionally, in temporary pools. Capture rates were highest in the coastal plain lake, possibly due to the greater availability of the fruits that form part of the diet of R. p. punctularia. Of the physical-chemical variables measured, salinity appeared to be the only factor to have a significant negative effect on capture rates. The sex ratio was only slightly biased to females, and did not vary between habitats or seasons. Straight carapace length was significantly larger in females, but did not vary between habitats. Overall, the evidence indicates that both biotic and abiotic factors like food availability, low current and salinity, influence the habitats selection and use by R. p. punctularia on Algodoal-Maiandeua Island.

Dating cryptodiran nodes: Origin and diversification of the turtle superfamily Testudinoidea

The superfamily Testudinoidea is the most diverse and widely distributed clade of extant turtles. Surprisingly, despite an extensive fossil record, and increasing amount of molecular data available, the temporal origin of this group is still largely unknown. To address this issue, we used a comprehensive molecular dataset to perform phylogenetic and molecular dating analyses, as well as seven fossil constraints to calibrate the ages of the nodes in the phylogeny. The molecular dataset includes the complete mitochondrial genomes of 37 turtle species, including newly sequenced mitochondrial genomes of Phrynops hilarii, Emys orbicularis, Rhinoclemmys punctularia, and Chelonoidis nigra, and four nuclear markers. Our results revealed that the earliest divergences within crown testudinoids occurred around 95.0Mya, in the early Late Cretaceous, earlier than previously reported, raising new questions about the historical biogeography of this group.

Reptilia, Testudines, Geoemydidae, Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin, 1802): new geographical distribution and first record for the state of Tocantins, Brazil

We present new records of the Spot-legged Turtle (Rhinoclemmys punctularia) for the states of Pará and Tocantins, Brazil. These records increase the known geographical distribution of R. punctularia ca. 500 km southward, reaching the southeastern extreme of the Amazon biome. The Tocantins records are from Amazon rainforests habitats as in most of the known range of the species. These new findings highlight the importance of future investigations in order to better understand the distribution of R. punctularia in the South Amazon Basin and ecotones areas.

Reptilia, Testudines, Geoemydidae, Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin, 1801): distribution extension

We report the first record of Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin, 1801) for Maranhão state, northeast Brazil. This record extends the geographical distribution of the species in ca. 689 km to the east from Vila Nova Vida (Maranhão).

A quarter millenium of uses and misuses of the turtle name Testudo scabra: Identification of the type specimens of T. scabra Linnaeus 1758 (= Rhinoclemmys punctularia) and T. scripta Thunberg in Schoepff 1792 (= Trachemys scripta scripta)

The turtle name Testudo scabra Linnaeus 1758 has variously and confusingly been used in association with nine different currently recognized nominal species in four separate families in both suborders of turtles. The name has not been recognized as valid since the early 1800s and has recently been synonymized as a nomen dubium under primarily two species: Emys trijuga Schweigger 1812 (= Melanochelys trijuga) and Testudo punctularia Daudin 1801 (= Rhinoclemmys punctularia) (both Geoemydidae). Other earlier attributions of the name, T. scabra L. sensu Statius Müller 1774, Schneider 1783, Retzius in Schoepff 1792, Thunberg in Schoepff 1792, Say 1824, or Agassiz 1857, have variously been referred to seven other currently recognized nominal species: two species of Leguat’s tortoises (= both Testudo vosmaeri Suckow 1798 = Cylindraspis vosmaeri, and/or Testudo peltastes Duméril and Bibron 1835 = Cylindraspis peltastes) (Testudinidae), Perrault’s tortoise (= Testudo indica Schneider 1783 = Cylindraspis indica) (Testudinidae), Testudo europaea Schneider 1783 (= Testudo orbicularis L. 1758 = Emys orbicularis) (Emydidae), Testudo galeata Schoepff 1792 (= Testudo subrufa Lacépède 1788 = Pelomedusa subrufa) (Pelomedusidae), Testudo scripta Schoepff 1792 (= Trachemys scripta) (Emydidae), and Testudo insculpta LeConte 1830 (= Glyptemys insculpta) (Emydidae). The previously unidentified type specimens of both T. scabra L. 1758 and Testudo scripta Schoepff 1792 have been located in the Linnaean and Thunbergian collections in Uppsala, Sweden. The latter species was described by Schoepff both as Testudo scabra sensu Thunberg and Testudo scripta Thunberg. Based on our examination, the holotype of Testudo scabra Linnaeus 1758 is Rhinoclemmys punctularia. To promote nomenclatural stability, we designate Testudo scabra Linnaeus 1758 as a nomen oblitum and nomen rejectum synonymized under Testudo punctularia Daudin 1801, already a nomen protectum. The type specimen of Testudo scripta Schoepff 1792 has not previously been identified, but is also present in the collection and represents Trachemys scripta scripta. Based on the circumstances of the description, the proper authorship of the name should be given as Testudo scripta Thunberg in Schoepff 1792, rather than T. scripta Schoepff 1792, as currently done.

Description of a new Subspecies of the Turtle Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin) (Testudines: Emydidae) from Southern Venezuela

AbstractRhinoclemmys punctularia flammigera subsp. nov. is described from the region of confluence of the Ventuari and Orinoco rivers in southern Venezuela. The controversy on the systematic position of Rhinoclemmys punctularia diademata (Mertens) is discussed, and conservatively it is considered that Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin) has three subspecies: the nominal form from eastern Venezuela, Trinidad, the three Guianas and northern Brasil; R. p. diademata (Mertens) from the Maracaibo Basin in Venezuela and Colombia ; and the new subspecies here described. Rhinoclemmys punctularia flammigera subsp. nov. seems to be more closely related to R. p. punctularia (Daudin), the other Guianan representative of the genus. Available biological information on the new subspecies is presented.