Unveiling a hotspot of genetic diversity in southern Italy for the endangered Hermann's tortoise Testudo hermanni
Author(s)
Date Issued
2022
Type
article
Volume
22
Issue
1
Start Page
131
Journal
Abstract
Hotspots of intraspecific genetic diversity represent invaluable resources for species to cope with environmental changes, and their identification is increasingly recognized as a major goal of conservation ecology research. However, even for iconic and endangered species, conservation strategies are often planned without thorough information on the geographic patterns of genetic variation. Here, we investigated the spatial patterns of genetic variation of the endangered Hermann's tortoise Testudo hermanni in the Italian Peninsula by genotyping 174 individuals at 7 microsatellite loci, with the aim to contribute to planning effective conservation strategies.