Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 211-213 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014)
Trachemys dorbigni (Duméril & Bibron, 1835) (Testudines: Emydidae) recorded in an artificial pond in northeastern Brazil Daniel Oliveira Santana1*, Crizanto Brito De-Carvalho2, Stéphanie Menezes Rocha2, Evellyn Borges de Freitas2 and Renato Gomes Faria2
The genus Trachemys is distributed throughout the Americas from the United States to Argentina (Gibbons, 1990; Seidel, 2002). The Emydidae family is represented by two species in Brazil: Trachemys dorbigni (Duméril and Bibron, 1835), occurring in Rio Grande do Sul State (and in neighboring countries including Uruguay and Argentina); while T. adiutrix occurs in Maranhão State in northeastern Brazil (Ernst, 1990; Vanzolini, 1995). Fritz et al. (2011) analyzed the phylogeny, systematics, and biogeography of the genus Trachemys based on molecular data, and redefined T. adiutrix as a subspecies of T. dorbigni. Trachemys dorbigni, popularly known as D’Orbigny’s slider, can be identified by its green and yellow-striped color pattern (more intense in females), its short snout, and feet with interdigital membranes and strong nails (Ernst, 1990). Trachemys dorbigni is the most abundant chelonian in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, and occupies a large variety of environments including rivers, lakes, and wetlands (Lema and Ferreira, 1990). Historically, many populations of T. dorbigni were subjected to intense predation involving harvesting their eggs and the capturing of juveniles to supply the pet trade (Lema and Ferreira, 1990; Barco and Larriera, 1991; Bager et al., 2007). The consequences of these practices on their natural populations are still largely
Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia), Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, CEP 58059-900, João Pessoa – PB, Brazil; 2 Núcleo de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Rod. Rondon s/nº, CEP 49100-00, São Cristóvão - SE, Brazil; *Corresponding author. Email:
[email protected]
unknown (Molina and Gomes, 1998; Gonçalves, et al., 2007). We report here the observation of an adult T. dorbigni specimen in and artificial pond located approximately 2500 Km from its natural distribution range (Figure 1) at 08:30 on December 29, 2010 at the edge of a pond (10.980206° S and 37.041564° W, Datum SAD-69) at 4 m a.m.s.l. (Figure 2). The pond was one of a group of artificial lagoons at the outskirts of the city of Aracaju, Sergipe State, northeastern Brazil. Several individuals of T. dorbigni were observed in the pond, but it was only possible to capture a single individual, probably an adult female (Maximum length of the carapace: 137 mm), demonstrating melanism (Figure 3), which is more common in males. The
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Figure 1. Geographical distribution of Trachemys dorbigni in Brazil: Recorded exotic environments (black stars); Natural distribution (black points).
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Figure 2. Local record of Trachemys dorbigni in an artificial pond in the municipality of Aracaju, Sergipe State, Brazil. Photo by Daniel Oliveira Santana.
Daniel Oliveira Santana et al. specimen was fixed in 10% formalin, preserved in 70% alcohol, and subsequently deposited in the Herpetological Collection of the University of Sergipe (CHUFS), São Cristóvão, Sergipe (C2290 – Trachemys dorbigni). The nomenclature used in this study follows that suggested by the Brazilian Society of Herpetology, according to Bernils and Costa (2012). Considering its appearance quite far from its natural distribution range, this sighting is probably the result of the abandonment of a specimen of T. dorbigni once kept as a pet. The presence of this species in a nonnative environment represents a potential risk to local biodiversity, as this species almost certainly competes for resources with native species.
Figure 3. Trachemys dorbigni (C2290) found near the city of Aracaju, Sergipe State, in northeastern Brazil; A) Dorsal view; B) Ventral view; C) Detail of head. Photo by Daniel Oliveira Santana.
Trachemys dorbigni recorded in and artificial pond in northeastern Brazil
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Acknowledgements. We would like to thank Prof. Dra. Laura Verrastro for confirming the identity of the observed species; Gabriel de Freitas Horta for critically reviewing the manuscript; the Federal University of Sergipe for logistical support; and CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) for the fellowship funds. Collection permits were granted by the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis – IBAMA (permit # 10504-1).
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Accepted by Mirco Solé
