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Mitochondrial DNA Phylogeography and Subspecies Issues in the Monotypic Freshwater Turtle

Sternotherus odoratus
Author(s): DeEtte Walker, William S. Nelson, Kurt A. Buhlmann and John C. Avise
Source: Copeia, Vol. 1997, No. 1 (Feb. 18, 1997), pp. 16-21
Published by: American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH)
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1447835
Accessed: 17-01-2016 11:26 UTC

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Copeia,1997(1), pp. 16-21

Mitochondrial DNA Phylogeography and Subspecies Issues in


the Monotypic Freshwater Turtle Sternotherusodoratus

DEETTE WALKER,WILLIAMS. NELSON, KURT A. BUHLMANN,ANDJOHN C. AVISE

Phylogeographicvariationin mitochondrial(mt) DNArestrictionsites is described


for populations of the monotypic stinkpot turtle (Sternotherus odoratus)from the
southeasternUnited States. Stinkpotsdisplaypronounced and hierarchicalmtDNA
phylogeographicdifferentiation,rangingfrom geneticallyshallowdifferencesamong
local populations to genetically deep distinctions among regional assemblagesof
haplotypes.Both magnitudeand generalpatternof intraspecificmtDNAphylogeog-
raphyin S. odoratusare remarkablysimilarto those in a relatedspecies (Sternotherus
minor)that traditionallyhas been considered ditypic based on morphologicaland
genetic appraisals.The pronouncedphylogeographicpopulationstructurein S. odor-
atuseffectively falsifies prior hypotheses that extensive dispersaland gene flow ac-
count for the morphometricconservatismamong geographic populations. These
findings also raise broader issues concerning the significanceof subspecies desig-
nations in testudine systematics.

MANY species of turtles are partitioned into photype adapted for versatile habitat utiliza-
multiple geographic subspecies. For ex- tion" (Reynolds and Seidel, 1983).
ample, among 56 turtle species in North Amer- In turtles as in other taxonomic groups (Ball
ica, 24 (43%) are subdivided nomenclaturally, and Avise, 1992), questions routinely arise con-
with an average of 3.9 described subspecies per cerning validity and meaning of morphological
polytypic species (Ernst et al., 1994). Further, comparison as a sole guide to intraspecific tax-
many monotypic species (e.g., several map tur- onomy: (1) How adequately do monitored traits
tles of the genus Graptemys)have exceptionally summarize overall patterns of morphological di-
narrow geographic ranges. One striking excep- vergence? and (2) What evolutionary forces
tion to the above involves the common musk forge morphological differences, and how do
turtle or "stinkpot" (Sternotherusodoratus). No the latter relate to detectable genetic differ-
ences? These and related questions are of aca-
subspecies of S. odoratus currently are recog-
demic interest and also have important ramifi-
nized, yet the stinkpot's range extends from
Florida to southern Canada and west into Wis- cations in conservation biology and population
consin and central Texas (Conant and Collins, management (Avise, 1994; Avise and Hamrick,
1996).
1991) and is broader than that of all except In this study, we employed restriction-site as-
three other species of freshwater turtles in the
United States. Stinkpots occur in many fresh- says of mitochondrial (mt) DNA to assess mat-
rilineal phylogeography of S. odoratusthrough-
water habitats but are most common in lentic
out the southeastern portion of its range. Re-
water with a muddy or soft bottom (Ernst et al.,
sults are compared to phylogeographic patterns
1994). Studies of geographic variation in life
reported previously (Walker et al., 1995) for a
history (Tinkle, 1961), morphology (Reynolds related species, S. minor, that is generally codis-
and Seidel, 1983), and allozyme composition tributed with S. odoratusin this region.
(Seidel et al., 1981) have not identified geo-
graphic differences deemed worthy of subspe-
cific distinction (but see Neill, 1948). Cagle MATERIALSAND METHODS

(1944) and Tinkle (1958) noted a proclivity in Total DNA was extracted from heart, liver,
this species to migrate overland, a behavior that and muscle; and mtDNA was isolated in closed-
disputedly (Gibbons et al., 1983; Ernst et al., circular form following Lansman et al. (1981).
1994) may be related to the observed paucity of Purified mtDNA from each individual was di-
geographic differentiation. Another suggested gested with each of 28 restriction endonucleas-
explanation for morphological similarity among es. Fragments were end-labeled using Klenow
stinkpot populations is "similarity of selective and 32P-labeled nucleotides and electropho-
regimes throughout the range ... Perhaps there resed through 1.2% agarose gels together with
has been widespread selection among S. odora- a one-kilobase ladder that served as a molecular
tus populations for a general, conservative mor- size marker. Fragments were visualized by auto-
? 1997by the AmericanSocietyof Ichthyologistsand Herpetologists

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WALKER ET AL.-STINKPOT PHYLOGEOGRAPHY 17

TABLE1. MTDNA HAPLOTYPES IN Sternotherusodoratus.Haplotype codes represent digestion profiles


OBSERVED
for the following endonucleases:BanI, Bc, BstEII,DraI,DraII,EcoRI,HindII, HindIII,Ncil, PvuII, SpeI,StuI,
and XbaI.Locales (lower case letters) are describedin MaterialExamined.

Haplotype Haplotypecode Individuals Locale (no. individuals)

1 CCCCCCCCCCCCC 1 r (1)
2 CCCDECCCCCCBC 3 q (3)
3 CCCCDCCCCCCCC 9 b (8); p (1)
4 CCDCBDDCCCCDC 11 t (4); u (1); w (6)
5 CCDCBDCCCCCDC 6 v (6)
6 CBDCBDDCCCCDC 1 t(1)
7 CCECBDECCCCDC 1 t(1)
8 BCDCBDDCBCCDC 8 s (8)
9 BCDCBDCCBCCDC 1 s (1)
10 ECFECHCCCEBDC 15k (1);1 (1) m (5); n (8)
11 CCDDCFFDCDDDC 11 a (5); c (5); h (1)
12 CCDDCFBDCDDDC 18 d (6); e (1); f (1) g (5); h (4) i (1)
13 CDDDCFBDCDDDC 3g (1); h (1);j (1)
14 CDDDCFBCCDDDC 1 j (1)
15 CCCDCFBDCDDDC 8 f (8)
16 ECFEDHCCCEBDC 1 o (1)

radiography; fragments smaller than 0.5 kilo- zymes (Aval and BstNI) produced digestion
bases (kb) typically were not scored. profiles that were too complex to interpret as
restriction-site changes but which were useful
Data analysis.-Digestion profiles for most of nonetheless in identifying additional haplo-
the enzymes were straightforward and permit- types. The remaining 13 enzymes (Table 1)
ted provisional interpretation as particular re- were informative in producing digestion pro-
striction-site changes. Data were compiled into files that were variable and interpretable as dif-
a presence/absence matrix of restriction sites. fering by specific restriction site changes.
Genotypic- and nucleotide-diversity statistics The 15 variable enzymes uncovered 22 differ-
were calculated following Nei (1987). Sequence ent mtDNA haplotypes (genotypic diversity =
divergence estimates (p) between haplotypes 0.931). The 13 enzymes for which site interpre-
were calculated using the site approach of Nei tations were possible revealed 16 haplotypes
and Li (1979). Similarities among haplotypes (Table 1), with genotypic- and nucleotide-diver-
were summarized using neighbor-joining (Sai- sity values of 0.899 and 0.016, respectively, in
tou and Nei, 1987). Phylogenetic relationships pooled samples. For the 13 endonucleases, 69
among haplotypes were inferred using the restriction site positions were scored; 31 were
branch-and-bound search option in PAUP ver- polymorphic. Genetic distances between haplo-
sion 3.1 (D. L. Swofford, Illinois Natural History types ranged from 0.002-0.037. The restriction-
Survey, Champaign, 1990, unpubl.). Statistical site and distance matrices are available from the
support for putative clades was assessed by boot- senior author upon request. In addition to site
strapping across 1000 replicates. Parsimony net- differences, there was evident mtDNA size vari-
works also were hand-generated by successively ation among individuals. Most notably, mtDNAs
linking similar genotypes. Attempts to root S. of samples from Florida were 0.5-1.5 kb larger
odoratusnetworks with mtDNA haplotypes from than mtDNA of turtles sampled elsewhere.
S. minor failed because many mtDNA digestion These size differences were apparent across di-
profiles were too different to permit inference gestion profiles of multiple enzymes and did
of homologous restriction sites. Networks are not confound site interpretations employed in
thus presented as unrooted.
phylogenetic analysis.
Topologies of haplotypes produced by neigh-
RESULTS bor-joining and maximum-parsimony analyses
(not shown) were similar to that produced by a
Thirteen of 28 enzymes employed produced hand-generated parsimony network (Fig. 1). All
no or one cut in preliminary population screen- three topologies partitioned the 16 mtDNA hap-
ing and are not considered further. Two en- lotypes into the same three major groups: A

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18 COPEIA, 1997, NO. 1

Fig. 1. Parsimonynetworksummarizingintercon-
nections among 16 mtDNAhaplotypesin Sternotherus
odoratus.Slashes crossing branches indicate numbers
of restriction-sitechanges inferred along a pathway.
Inferred changes within four portions of the network Fig. 2. Distributions of mtDNA haplotypes and
(Al, A2, B, and C) are additive.Slashes on branches their major phylogeographicassemblagesin Sternoth-
erus odoratus.
connecting A (Al, A2) to B and B to C representthe
minimum number of inferred restriction-sitechanges
between any haplotypeswithin each assemblage. The genetic patterns for S. odoratusare simi-
lar to those reported previously for the musk
(with subgroups Al and A2), B, and C. Each of turtle S. minor (Walker et al., 1995), a related
these groups and no others received > 90% species for which two well-demarcated subspe-
bootstrap support. Within each of the major cies in the southeastern United States are rec-
haplotype assemblages, branching topologies ognized from morphologic and biogeographic
were strictly additive; whereas across the groups, evidence (Iverson, 1977; Ernst and Barbour,
some nonadditivity (homoplasy) occurred. The 1989; Ernst et al., 1994). Genotypic diversities
major mtDNA haplotype groups showed a in the pooled intraspecific samples of S. minor
strong geographic orientation (Fig. 2). In ad- and S. odoratuswere 0.859 and 0.899, nucleotide
dition, local matrilineal population structure diversities were 0.017 and 0.016, and the largest
was evident (Fig. 2). Most haplotypes (10 of 16) net mtDNA sequence differences between ma-
were observed only at single collection sites, jor intraspecific phylogeographic units in the
and four haplotypes were fixed in samples from two respective species were 0.032 and 0.031.
those locales. The high levels of mtDNA variation within S.
odoratusand S. minor provide a counterpoint to
DISCUSSION
a previously reported tendency for many testu-
dine species to display unusually low levels of
ComparativemtDNAphylogeography in two Sternoth- intraspecific mtDNA polymorphism (Avise et
erus species.-Matrilineal population genetic al., 1992).
structure of S. odoratusin the southeastern Unit- Similarities in intraspecific genetic profiles
ed States, as inferred from analysis of mtDNA between S. odoratusand S. minor also extend to
restriction sites, shares general features with pat- geographic distributions of identified mtDNA
terns reported previously for other terrestrial phylogeographic groups. The range of the mor-
and freshwater vertebrates in the region (Avise, phological subspecies S. m. peltifer (with which
1992, 1996). These include the following: (1) mtDNA data are consistent-Walker et al.,
extensive intraspecific genetic variation, leading 1995) encompasses the western half of the spe-
to high genotypic diversities in pooled collec- cies' distribution, notably the Alabama (Mobile)
tions; (2) strong local population structure, in and Tennessee River drainages. This range cor-
which mtDNA haplotypes show narrow geo- responds approximately to the A phylogeo-
graphic distributions compared to the sampled graphic assemblage in S. odoratus. In addition,
range of the species; (3) high nucleotide se- the range of the eastern subspecies S. m. minor
quence divergence between conspecific mtDNA (as identified by morphology and mtDNA) cor-
haplotypes; and (4) significant geographic par- responds approximately to that of the B + C
titions in intraspecific mtDNA parsimony net- phylogeographic assemblages in S. odoratus.Dif-
works. ferences in patterns of mtDNA divergence be-

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WALKER ET AL.-STINKPOT PHYLOGEOGRAPHY 19

tween the two turtle species include the follow-


ing: (1) Sternotherus odoratus appears more
strongly differentiated within the eastern region
(between peninsular Florida and the Atlantic
coastal drainages) than does S. minor, and (2)
in contrast to S. minor,populations of S. odoratus
in the Atlantic coast drainages (group B) are
more similar in mtDNA composition to western
populations (group A) than to those in south-
ern Georgia and the Florida peninsula (group
C). Nevertheless, like most other vertebrate spe-
cies genetically surveyed to date in the south-
eastern United States (Avise, 1996), populations
of S. odoratusin central Florida are strongly dif-
ferentiated from others in the region, particu-
larly those to the north and west.

Subspecies designations.-Evidently, the current


status of taxonomic monotypy for S. odoratus in Fig. 3. Map of the southeastern United States
showing localities (a-w; see MaterialExamined) of
the southeastern United States belies consider- the 98 turtles collected.
able phylogeographic differentiation observed
in mtDNA. The genetic results indicate that the
paucity of morphological variation cannot be at- ical differences. However, "subspecies" distinc-
tributed to extensive contemporary dispersal tions within S. odoratusin our view are not yet
and gene flow of matrilines among populations. warranted because concordant support from
Do the mtDNA findings therefore warrant a for- other lines of evidence (morphological or oth-
mal recognition of multiple subspecies for S. erwise) is not yet available. The mtDNA data
odoratusin the southeastern United States? provide clear indications of where subspecies
Genetic assessments have limitations as a distinctions might be sought in phylogeograph-
guide to taxonomic inference when based on ic appraisals of additional characters; but alone,
"single genes" (such as mtDNA). Avise and Ball they are insufficient to define subspecies status
(1990) suggest that the taxonomic category under a proper application of genealogical con-
"subspecies" should be reserved for significant cordance principles.
phylogeographic subunits within biological spe-
cies, with "significance" assessed primarily by MATERIALEXAMINED
concordance in populational distinctions across
multiple, independent, genetically coded char- Sternotherus odoratus (sites labeled as in Fig. 3):
acters. In the absence of intrinsic reproductive York River basin: (a) Cohoke Mill Creek, King
isolation, such multicharacter concordance in William Co., VA (n = 5); Tennessee River basin:
biotic delineations is anticipated only when (b) North Fork of the Holston River, Scott Co.,
populations have been isolated (typically by ge- VA (n = 8); Pee Dee River basin: (c) McKinney
ography) for periods of time that are long rel- Lake, Richmond Co., NC (n = 5); Savannah
ative to effective population size. Furthermore, River basin: (d) pond on Vaucluse Rd., Aiken
populations separated for long times should dis- Co., SC (n = 6); (e) Hwy 301 near Allendale,
play relatively deep divergences in particular Allendale Co., SC (n = 1); Edisto River basin:
gene genealogies such as that ensconced in (f) Orangeburg National Fish Hatchery ponds,
mtDNA. In the (usual) absence of direct empir- Orangeburg Co., SC (n = 9); Altamaha River
ical evidence concerning multiple gene gene- basin: (g) University of Georgia Golf Course,
alogies, useful surrogate sources of information Clarke Co., GA (n = 6); (h) Long Creek, Ogle-
must come from observed distributions of tra- thorpe Co., GA (n = 6); (i) Hwy 22 near Craw-
ditional systematic traits, under the working hy- fordsville, Taliaferro Co., GA (n = 1); Ogeechee
pothesis that differences are genetically based. River basin: (j) Bo Ginn National Fish Hatchery
As applied in the current context, the two rec- ponds, Jenkins Co., GA (n = 2); St.John's River
ognized forms within S. minor warrant subspe- basin: (k) River Styx, Alachua Co., FL (n = 1);
cies recognition because mtDNA lineage sepa- (1) sinkhole pond near Hwy. 19, Putnam Co.,
rations appear relatively deep, geographically FL (n = 1); (m) pond on 7th Ave., Seminole
coherent, and concordant with distributions Co., FL (n = 5); Apalachicola River basin: (n)
previously described on the basis of morpholog- Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery ponds,

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20 COPEIA, 1997, NO. 1

Meriwether Co., GA (n = 8); (o) on SR 65, Lib- , ANDJ.L. HAMRICK (EDS.). 1996. Conservation
erty Co., FL (n = 1); Alabama-Tombigbee (Mo- genetics: case histories from nature. Chapman and
bile) River basin: (p) Hwy 136 near Villanow, Hall, New York.
Walker Co., GA (n = 1); (q) Carbon Hill Na- , B. W. BOWEN,T. LAMB,A. B. MEYLAN, ANDE.
BERMINGHAM. 1992. Mitochondrial DNA evolution
tional Fish Hatchery ponds, Walker Co., AL (n at a turtle's pace: evidence for low genetic variabil-
= 3); (r) Cahaba River, Jefferson Co., AL (n =
ity and reduced microevolutionary rate in the tes-
1); Pascagoula River basin: (s) pond on Hwy. 15, tudines. Mol. Biol. Evol. 9:457-473.
Newton Co., MS (n = 9); Mississippi River ba- BALL,R. M., JR., ANDJ. C. AVISE. 1992. Mitochondrial
sin: (t) cypress swamp, Big Cane Conservation DNA phylogeographic differentiation among avian
Area, Butler Co., MO (n = 6); (u) pond on East populations and the evolutionary significance of
Pleasant Ridge Road, Tangipohoa Parish, LA (n subspecies. Auk 109:626-636.
= 1); (v) Comite River, East Baton Rouge Par- CAGLE,F. R. 1944. Home range, homing behavior
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ,J. E. LOVICH,ANDR. W. BARBOUR.1994. Tur-
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and D. Wilson; personnel from the Mississippi LANSMAN, R. A., R. O. SHADE,J. F. SHAPIRA, AND J. C.
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permits. Work was supported by an NIH train- 5273.
ing grant to DW, by DOE contract # DE-AC09- NEILL, W. T. 1948. The musk turtles of Georgia. Her-
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ergy and the University of Georgia's Savannah
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SAITOU,N., ANDM. NEI. 1987. The neighbor-joining
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WALKER ET AL.-STINKPOT PHYLOGEOGRAPHY 21

(DW, WSN, JCA) DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS, OLINA 29801. Submitted: 11 Dec. 1995. Ac-
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, ATHENS, GEORGIA cepted: 14 May 1996. Section editor: John R.
30602; AND (KAB) SAVANNAH RIVER ECOLOGY Gold.
LABORATORY, DRAWER E, AIKEN, SOUTH CAR-

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