KAGIMA, B.W.; VALENZUELA, N.M.; ENGSTROM, T.; BOCK, B.; Iowa State University; Iowa State University; SUNY at Stony Brook; Universidad Nacional de Colombia sede Medell�n: Preliminary population genetic study of the yellow spotted Amazon river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) using microsatellite DNA data

The yellow spotted Amazon river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) is vulnerable in much of its range in South America. Recent studies have focused on important ecological aspects but only very limited genetic information exists on this species. Here we report the results of a pilot genetic analysis of three populations of P. unifilis from Colombia and Peru. Nine microsatellite primer sets originally designed for a sister species, P. expansa, were tested for cross-amplification in P. unifilis. Seven of the nine loci amplified successfully in P. unifilis, but some exhibited little or no allelic variation. A preliminary analysis of the genetic structure and genetic variability for these populations is presented. A larger scale collaborative ongoing research project will include the study of various other populations from Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, and Brazil. Comparisons to the endangered P. expansa are drawn and the conservation implications are discussed.