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349 results for “tortoises”
Tortoise brooch in bronze from the viking age.
Tortoise brooch in bronze. Museum ID number S826. Found in Suldal, Rogaland - Norway. Dated to the viking age. Source: Objaverse 1.0 / Sketchfab
Navigating agricultural landscapes: Responses of critically endangered giant tortoises to farmland vegetation and infrastructure
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Data from: Seasonality and morphological variation shape intraspecific seed dispersal networks in gopher tortoises
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Data from: Host species, pathogens, and disease associated with divergent nasal microbial communities in tortoises
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Tortoises develop and overcome position biases in a reversal learning task
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Whole-genome sequencing confirms multiple species of Galapagos giant tortoises
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Ephemeral vegetation drivers of occupancy dynamics of Mojave desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii)
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Data for fitting spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models to estimate spatially explicit demographics of Mojave desert tortoises on a demography plot in California, USA
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Data from: Reproductive ecology of the critically endangered pancake tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri) in the wild
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Microsatellite genotypes for temporal monitoring of the Floreana Island Galapagos Giant Tortoise captive breeding program
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Micro and macroclimatic constraints on the activity of a vulnerable tortoise: a mechanistic approach under a thermal niche view
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Bimodal nesting season in Karoo dwarf tortoises (Chersobius boulengeri)
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Synteny enabled upgrade of the Galapagos giant tortoise genome improves inferences of runs of homozygosity
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Raw data from: Environmental variation structures reproduction and recruitment in long-lived mega-herbivores: Galapagos Giant Tortoises
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Mapping the geographic origin of captive and confiscated Hermann’s tortoises: a genetic toolkit for conservation and forensic analyses
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Data from: Shaping species with ephemeral boundaries: the distribution and genetic structure of the desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) in the Sonoran Desert region
Aim: We examine the role biogeographical features played in the evolution of Morafka's desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) and test the hypothesis that G. morafkai maintains genetically distinct lineages associated with different Sonoran Desert biomes. Increased knowledge of the past and present distribution of the Sonoran Desert region's biota provides insight into the forces that drive and maintain its biodiversity. Location: Sonoran Desert biogeographical region; Sonora and Sinaloa, Mexico and Arizona, USA. Methods: We examined wild tortoises from Mexico (n = 155) and Arizona (n = 78), spanning their known distribution. We used mtDNA sequences to reconstruct matrilineal relationships and 25 microsatellite (STR) loci for Bayesian analyses of gene flow. We performed clinal analyses on both mtDNA and STR loci to determine the position and amount of introgression where lineages co-occur. We used GIS to assess the association of genetic structuring with ecological features. We used these data in a hypothesis-driven approach to assess different models of how genetic diversity is maintained and distributed in G. morafkai. Results: Gopherus morafkai was found to comprise genetically and geographically distinct 'Sonoran' and 'Sinaloan' lineages. Both lineages occurred in a relatively narrow zone of overlap in Sinaloan thornscrub, where it transitions into Sonoran desertscrub. Limited introgression occurred at the contact zone. The best-fit model suggests that these lineages diverged in parapatry where the distribution of genotypes is environment-dependent and introgression is inhibited by exogenous selection. Main conclusions: The historically shifting ecotone between tropical deciduous forest and Sonoran desertscrub appears to be a boundary that fostered divergence between parapatric lineages of tortoises. The sharp genetic cline between the two lineages suggests that periods of isolation in temporary refugia due to Pleistocene climatic cycling influenced divergence. Despite incomplete reproductive isolation, the Sonoran and Sinaloan lineages of G. morafkai are on separate evolutionary trajectories.
Data from: Persistence of distinctive morphotypes in the native range of the CITES-listed Aldabra giant tortoise
Understanding the extent of morphological variation in the wild population of Aldabra giant tortoises is important for conservation, as morphological variation in captive populations has been interpreted as evidence for lingering genes from extinct tortoise lineages. If true, this could impact reintroduction programmes in the region. The population of giant tortoises on Aldabra Atoll is subdivided and distributed around several islands. Although pronounced morphological variation was recorded in the late 1960s, it was thought to be a temporary phenomenon. Early researchers also raised concerns over the future of the population, which was perceived to have exceeded its carrying capacity. We analyzed monthly monitoring data from 12 transects spanning a recent 15-year period (1998–2012) during which animals from four subpopulations were counted, measured, and sexed. In addition, we analyzed survival data from individuals first tagged during the early 1970s. The population is stable with no sign of significant decline. Subpopulations differ in density, but these differences are mostly due to differences in the prevailing vegetation type. However, subpopulations differ greatly in both the size of animals and the degree of sexual dimorphism. Comparisons with historical data reveal that phenotypic differences among the subpopulations of tortoises on Aldabra have been apparent for the last 50 years with no sign of diminishing. We conclude that the giant tortoise population on Aldabra is subject to varying ecological selection pressures, giving rise to stable morphotypes in discrete subpopulations. We suggest therefore that (1) the presence of morphological differences among captive Aldabra tortoises does not alone provide convincing evidence of genes from other extinct species; and (2) Aldabra serves as an important example of how conservation and management in situ can add to the scientific value of populations and perhaps enable them to better adapt to future ecological pressures.
Data from: Genetic pedigree analysis of the pilot breeding program for the rediscovered Galapagos giant tortoise from Floreana island
An aim of many captive breeding programs is to increase population sizes for reintroduction and establishment of self-sustaining wild populations. Genetic analyses play a critical role in these programs: monitoring genetic variation, identifying the origin of individuals, and assigning parentage to track family sizes. Here we use genetic pedigree analyses to examine three seasons of a pilot breeding program for the Floreana island Galapagos giant tortoise, C. niger, that had been declared extinct for ~150 years until individuals with mixed ancestry were recently discovered. We determined that eight of nine founding individuals were assigned parentage to at least one of 130 offspring produced, though there was considerable reproductive skew. In addition, we observed that genetic diversity of the progeny was lower than that of the founders. Despite the observed reproductive skew, we did not see evidence for assortative mating based on relatedness, but there was a trend towards reduced fitness when more related individuals bred. Finally, we found that the majority of progeny had ancestry assigned to the Floreana species (mean±SE = 0.51±0.02), though individual estimates varied. The success of these pilot seasons bodes well for a larger breeding program to help restore the previously extinct tortoise from Floreana island. Future efforts should continue to monitor for reproductive skew and assortative mating in order to maintain allelic diversity. We would also recommend forming smaller breeding groups and rotating individuals among them to prevent long-term reproductive skew among pairs.
Data from: In the land of giants: habitat use and selection of the Aldabra giant tortoise on Aldabra Atoll
With habitat loss and fragmentation among the greatest threats to biodiversity, a better understanding of the habitat use of keystone species is critical in any conservation management strategy. Aldabra Atoll, in the Seychelles archipelago, has the largest population worldwide of giant tortoises. This endemic species (Aldabrachelys gigantea) could be vulnerable to habitat fragmentation and loss induced by climate change related reduction in rainfall. Here, we assess habitat use and selection by A. gigantea in its natural environment on Aldabra. We quantified the habitat areas of A. gigantea based on the first high-resolution terrestrial habitat map of Aldabra, produced for this purpose using satellite imagery. The resulting map was combined with four years of movement data to assess A. gigantea habitat use and selection at landscape and home range scales. Grassland or 'tortoise turf' habitat was most preferred by A. gigantea on Aldabra, at the landscape scale across seasons, followed by open mixed scrub. These two habitats cover only 30 km2 (19.2%) of the surface of the atoll (total area: 155.5 km2). At the home range scale, there was no significant preference shown and habitat was used randomly. Our results suggest that Aldabra's grassland habitat, despite its small area, is of great importance to A. gigantea. Conservation management actions for A. gigantea on Aldabra and elsewhere should therefore focus on the protection and maintenance of this habitat.
Data from: Lineage fusion in Galápagos giant tortoises
Although many classic radiations on islands are thought to be the result of repeated lineage splitting, the role of past fusion is rarely known because during these events, purebreds are rapidly replaced by a swarm of admixed individuals. Here we capture lineage fusion in action in a Galápagos giant tortoise species, Chelonoidis becki, from Wolf Volcano (Isabela Island). The long generation time of Galápagos tortoises and dense sampling (841 individuals) of genetic and demographic data were integral in detecting and characterizing this phenomenon. In C. becki we identified two genetically distinct, morphologically cryptic lineages. Historical reconstructions show that they colonized Wolf Volcano from Santiago Island in two temporally separated events, the first estimated to have occurred ~199 thousand years ago (KYA). Following arrival of the second wave of colonists, both lineages co-existed for approximately ~53 KY. Within that time they began fusing back together, as microsatellite data reveal widespread introgressive hybridization. Interestingly, greater mate selectivity seems to be exhibited by purebred females of one of the lineages. Forward-in-time simulations predict rapid extinction of the early arriving lineage. This study provides a rare example of reticulate evolution in action, and underscores the power of population genetics for understanding the past, present, and future consequences of evolutionary phenomena associated with lineage fusion.
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Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.