Phylogeography of the Southwestern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon sonoriense)

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

The Sonoyta Mud Turtle (Kinosternon sonoriense longifemorale Iverson) is a candidate for listing as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. It occurs as an isolated population segment in the most arid part of the species' range, with threats including small population size, evidence of decline, and progressive habitat degradation. We are sequencing the mitochondrial ND4 region to establish if the Sonoyta Mud Turtle is an evolutionary significant unit.

With an expanded sample set we address the phylogeny of "Sonoran" members of the genus Kinosternon relative to the palaeogeography of the Sonoran desert.