Consistent patterns in 16S and 18S microbial diversity from the shells of the common and widespread red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta).

ABSTRACT: Microbial communities associated with freshwater aquatic habitats and resident species are both critical to and indicative of ecosystem status and organismal health. External surfaces of turtle shells readily accumulate microbial growth and could carry representation of habitat-wide microbial diversity, since they are in regular contact with multiple elements of freshwater environments. Yet, microbial diversity residing on freshwater turtle shells is poorly understood. We applied 16S and 18S metabarcoding to characterize microbiota associated with external shell surfaces of 20 red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta) turtles collected from varied habitats in central and western Oklahoma, and ranging to southeast Iowa. Shell-associated microbial communities were highly diverse, with samples dom

SUBMITTER: Parks M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7769255 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature