Parentage Analysis in a Green Sea Turtle (<i>Chelonia mydas</i>) Population From French Polynesia Reveals a Tendency for Inbreeding and Unexpected Plasticity in Reproductive Behaviour.

ABSTRACT: The reproductive systems of natural populations can significantly impact their genetic diversity by either preventing or promoting inbreeding. Therefore, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the mating system to evaluate a population's ability to maintain genetic diversity over time. In this study, we examine the mating system of an endangered population of green sea turtles in Tetiaroa, French Polynesia. We determine if different mating behaviours serve as strategies to avoid inbreeding. We genotyped 107 nesting females and 1483 hatchlings from 549 nests and used 23 microsatellite markers to reconstruct the genotypes of the sires. We assessed the level of inbreeding and relatedness among the parent pairs and explored the correlation between relatedness and indicators of

SUBMITTER: Dolfo V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12264388 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature