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A Review of the European Pond Turtle, Emys Orbicularis (Testudines: Emydidae), As a Subject for Integrative Population Studies

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A Review of the European Pond Turtle, Emys Orbicularis (Testudines: Emydidae), As a Subject for Integrative Population Studies Japanese Journal of Herpetology 18(1): 30-36., June 1999 (C)1999 by The HerpetologicalSociety of Japan A Review of the European Pond Turtle, Emys orbicularis (Testudines: Emydidae), as a Subject for Integrative Population Studies HIDETOSHI OTA Abstract: The Proceedings of the EMYS Symposium, held at Dresden in 1996, were published in 1998 as the 10th issue of Mertensiella. This volume, consisting of 28 ar- ticles and seven notes all devoted to the systematics, ecology, physiology, and conser- vation of the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) populations, is reviewed in the light of its significance as a first step toward the international exchange of infor- mation/experiences for the comprehensive understanding of this widely distributed, but locally differentiated and threatened species. All the articles and notes, though arranged in a rather curious way, contribute much to our knowledges of this syste- matically interesting and conservationally important turtle, which, until recently, had been poorly studied from the viewpoint of population biology. Reading of this book, one can realize the importance of integrative approaches for the designation of effective conservation measures, especially for a wide-ranging polymorphic organism like this species. This volume is thus recommended for the bookshelves of all students in- terested in this and relevant fields of biology. Applications of a few other methods/techniques, such as the multivariate analysis of morphological characters and allozyme electrophoresis, are recommended to further improve the evaluation of taxo- nomic status and conservation priority for local populations of this turtle. Establish- ment of the criteria and guidelines for international translocation-based conservation procedures seems to be an urgent necessity. Key words: Review; Emys orbicularis; Testudines; Population biology; Conservation The European pond turtle Emys orbicularis is um" was held from 4th to 6th October 1996 at the only native Old World representative of the Dresden to promote an exchange of information family Emydidae (as opposed to Bataguridae: relevant to various aspects of population biology Gaffney and Meylan, 1988), occurring from of E. orbicularis among international authori- northern Africa and southern Europe (including ties, and its proceedings were recently published. a few Mediterranean islands) northward to Den- In this essay, I review these proceedings with ap- mark and Lithuania, and eastward to northern preciation of their being the first step toward the Iran and the Aral Sea region of the former USSR comprehensive understanding of this systemati- (Iverson, 1992; Podloucky, 1997). Despite the cally interesting and conservationally important long-standing view of its being a monotypic spe- turtle. cies with a broad distributional range, recent The volume (Uwe Fritz, Ulrich Joger, Richard revisional studies by Uwe Fritz and his col- Podloucky, and Jean Servan [eds.]. 1998. leagues strongly suggested that the species is ac- Proceedings of the EMYS Symposium Dresden tually highly polytypic, consisting of some 13, 96. Mertensiella, Number 10. Published by more or less localized subspecies (e. g., Fritz, Deutche Gesellschaft fur Herpetologie und Ter- 1989; Fritz and Obst, 1995; Fritz et al., 1996). rarienkunde e. V. [DGHT]. i-vi+302 pages; Such a progress in the infraspecific taxonomy available from DGHT Geschaftsstelle, Postfach has lead to the increase of conservational con- 1421, D-53351 Rheinbach, Germany; price, cerns about this turtle in most of its range, where 29.80DM for DGHT members and 59.80DM populations belonging to particular localized for nonmembers; paperback), henceforth ab- subspecies are threatened by various human ac- breviated as PESD, is composed of 35 contribu- tivities. tions (28 articles and seven notes) by 54 authors. Under such a situation, "The Emys Symposi- Of these, ten articles and notes are chiefly or ex- clusively devoted to systematics, 11 to ecology, Accepted 20 May 1999 and 13 contributions and the remaining one arti- OTA-EMYS ORBICULARIS POPULATIONS 31 cle to issues relevant to conservation and physi- al., based on the results of morphological and ology of E. orbicuralis, respectively. The text molecular analyses, consider that the Majorcan of each contribution is written in plain, verbally population has originated not from the natural correct English: this seems to be at least partially dispersals from Iberian Peninsula, but from ar- attributable to efforts by James R. Buskirk as the tificial introductions from the more eastern parts Language Editor. A German abstract (Zusam- of Europe. Based on the morphometric analysis menfassung) is added to each contribution, and of several large samples and observations of an English abstract to each article. captive bred individuals, Zuffi and Ballasina recognize the presence of at least four divergent SUMMARYOF THE CONTENTS groups of populations within Italy. While Systematic studies.-Of the ten contributions referring to these groups as ecotypes, they argue devoted to systematics, the article by Fritz (p. 1- the necessity for re-evaluation of taxonomic sig- 27) provides an overview on the current taxo- nificances of color characters. nomic and geographical delimitations of subspe- From a viewpoint of population systematics cies and subspecies groups. Four pages of and historical biogeography, the article by Lenk, beautiful color photographs provided therein Joger et al. (p. 159-175) is of particular interest. show most, though not all, of the subspecies They analyse sequence variation of the recognized at present. He also refers to a few mitochondrial cytochrome b gene among sam- additional variant populations or groups of ples of E. orbicularis from broad geographical populations most likely representing yet un- ranges, and discuss the historical implications of described subspecies. In this article, fossil the phylogeographical pattern illustrated. A records of the Eurasian Emys are also reviewed, total of 187 specimens examined possess 13 and the historical biogeography of E. orbicularis different haplotypes composing six major assem- is discussed with the assumption that most, if blages, which largely correspond to their geo- not all, of those fossils are of direct ancestors of graphic arrangements but with a certain degree this species. He argued that the current geo- of mixture especially in the southeastern graphic range of E. orbicularis reflects influences Balkans. They attempt to explain the recog- of both the climatic changes during the latest nized phylogeographical patterns chiefly on the continental glaciation and recent human activi- ground of extinction of northern and inland ties. populations during the late Pleistocene glacia- Other systematic works include those by Far- tion, and of post-glacial range extensions from kas et al. (p. 89-101), Fritz, Baran et al. (p. 103- southern refugia along major river systems. 121), Fritz, Pieh et al. (p. 123-133), Taskavak The remaining three, all notes, by Ardizzoni and and Reimann (p. 267-278), and Zuffi and Balla- Fritz (p. 287-288), Fritz (p. 296), and Triperi sina (p. 279-286), which concern the taxonomic and Fritz (p. 299-302) refer to morphological status, relationships and/or diversity of popula- features in samples from Sicily, Catalonia, and tions in the Hungarian Lowlands, Turky, southern Italy, respectively. Majorca (a Mediterranean island east of the Ecological and physiological studies. -Six Iberian Peninsula), Turkey, and Italy, respec- contributions chiefly or exclusively focus on the tively. Of these, Farkas et al. highlight the reproductive ecology of populations in Germany differentiation of the Hungarian population (Andreas and Paul, p. 29-32; Schneeweiss, An- from the German and Polish populations in size dreas and Jendretzke, p. 227-234), Poland (Jab- and coloration, which contradicts results of a lonski and Jablonska, p. 141-146; Mitrus and molecular study, which suggested closer histori- Zemanek, p. 187-191), the former USSR cal relationships of the former two populations. (Snieshkus, p. 253-258), and France (Gay and Fritz, Baran et al., on the basis of external Lebraud, p. 297). Of these, Andreas and Paul, characters in a large series of specimens, assign while providing some quantitative data for some of the Anatolian populations, formerly clutches and dimensions of nests in northeastern considered to represent E. o. hellenica or colchi- Germany, report the massive deaths of hat- ca, to E. o. luteofusca, and others to a new sub- chlings and embryos in the nest during an ex- species, E. o. eiselti. Taskavak and Reimann tremely cold winter. Schneeweiss, Andreas, and also analyse morphometric and color variation in Jendretzke describe additional reproductive a different series of Anatolian specimens and, properties, such as the preferred nesting en- while assigning some to luteofusca, demonstrate vironments, incubation period, and the nest the intermediacy of one isolated population be- temperature during the embryonic development tween luteofusca and hellenica. Fritz, Pieh et for the northeastern German populations of E. 32 Jpn. J. Herpetol. 18 (1) 1999 orbicularis, and also report the massive deaths timates sizes and structures of populations that of hatchlings during a recent very cold winter. collectively compose a metapopulation in They argue that the breeding success of this tur- France. While further assuming that environ- tle is severely influenced by predators, agricul- mental heterogeneity influences
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