The Genetic Status of Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata) in the Tucson Area

Collaborator: Dr. Phil Rosen, School of Natural Resources, University of Arizona

A widespread and growing, though scarcely recognized problem facing Southwestern turtles is hybridization of native, endemic taxa with closely related animals that have mostly arrived in the pet trade. As part of a conservation study on urban and riparian populations of the Desert Grassland Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata luteola) we have funding to evaluate the genetic status of captive and wild box turtles in the Tucson region. The original population has undoubtedly been partially absorbed into a captive population, imported eastern and western box turtles have been released into the wild in our area, and the native captive gene pool has been affected by hybridization with imported pets.

We are using the mitochondrial cytochrome b and ND4 with 1.2 kb each to investigate mitochondrial haplotype distribution. Additionally, we use bi-parentally inherited autosomal microsatellite markers to investigate possible introgression of box turtle alleles from other geographical areas.