Environmental DNA analysis confirms extant populations of the cryptic Irwin's turtle within its historical range.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Approximately 50% of freshwater turtles worldwide are currently threatened by habitat loss, rural development and altered stream flows. Paradoxically, reptiles are understudied organisms, with many species lacking basic geographic distribution and abundance data. The iconic Irwin's turtle, Elseya irwini, belongs to a unique group of Australian endemic freshwater turtles capable of cloacal respiration. Water resource development, increased presence of saltwater crocodiles and its cryptic behaviour, have made sampling for Irwin's turtle in parts of its range problematic, resulting in no confirmed detections across much of its known range for > 25 years. Here, we used environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis for E. irwini detection along its historical and contemporary distributio

SUBMITTER: Villacorta-Rath C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9059348 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature