Phylogeography of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea): Standardized Global Haplotype Nomenclature and Updated Mitochondrial Lineage Distributions in the Eastern Pacific.
11 affiliations
- 1Laboratory of Conservation Medicine, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88700, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
- 2UAM Reynosa-Aztlan, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Reynosa 88740, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
- 3Laboratório de Genética e Evolução Molecular, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29075-910, Brazil.
- 4Departamento Académico de Ciencias Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur (UABCS), La Paz 23080, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
- 5Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN-CIIDIR Sinaloa), Guasave 81049, Sinaloa, Mexico.
- 6Laboratorio de Biotecnología Industrial, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88740, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
- 7Estación Biológica Majahuas, Playón de Mismaloya, Tomatlán 48400, Jalisco, Mexico.
- 8Grupo Tortuguero de las Californias A.C., La Paz 23090, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
- 9Uella Environmental Research and Consulting, Bahía de Banderas 63732, Nayarit, Mexico.
- 10Centro de Promoción Ambiental, Museo Regional Comunitario de la Tortuga Marina, Ejido Emiliano Zapata, Mazatán 30655, Chiapas, Mexico.
- 11Instituto de Biociencias, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Tapachula 30798, Chiapas, Mexico.
Abstract
Lepidochelys olivacea is the most abundant sea turtle species worldwide and exhibits a circumtropical distribution across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Global phylogeographic studies have identified three major mitochondrial lineages, but comparisons among regions remain limited by inconsistent mtDNA control-region fragment lengths, incompatible haplotype nomenclatures, and uneven geographic sampling. The East Pacific Regional Management Unit (RMU), which includes major nesting populations in Mexico and Costa Rica, experienced severe demographic declines during the twentieth century, and the effects of expanded sampling on current phylogeographic patterns remain uncertain. This study analyzed 1264 mtDNA control region sequences (474-bp and 653-bp fragments) to update and standardize the global genetic dataset of L. olivacea, incorporating novel samples from previously unsampled East Pacific localities. Clear phylogeographic differentiation among RMUs was detected and remained consistent across both sequence lengths, supporting the Atlantic (ATL), East Pacific (EP), and Indo-West Pacific (IWP) lineages. Shared haplotypes between the EP and IWP lineages likely reflect historical connectivity rather than contemporary transoceanic movements. The 653-bp dataset revealed greater haplotype diversity (78 haplotypes) than the 474-bp dataset (62 haplotypes), highlighting the improved resolution provided by the longer marker. Regional diversity patterns appeared to be influenced by sampling effort, particularly in underrepresented regions such as the West Indian Ocean. Negative neutrality indices in both Pacific RMUs suggested recent population expansion. This study establishes a standardized haplotype nomenclature for L. olivacea, provides an updated view of mitochondrial lineage distributions, and offers a robust framework for future phylogeographic and conservation studies across the species' range.
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BibTeX
@article{soltorres2026phylogeography,
title = {{Phylogeography of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea): Standardized Global Haplotype Nomenclature and Updated Mitochondrial Lineage Distributions in the Eastern Pacific.}},
author = {Omar Horacio Sol-Torres and Hugo David Gallardo-Sánchez and Fátima Yedith Camacho-Sánchez and Sarah Maria Vargas and Eduardo Resendiz and Alan A Zavala-Norzagaray and José Alberto Narváez-Zapata and Luis A Tello-Sahagún and Catherine E Hart and José Alfredo González-Gerardo and Raymundo Rosas-Quijano and Didiana Gálvez-López and Miguel Angel Reyes-López},
journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/ani16193021},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42882990},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Phylogeography of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea): Standardized Global Haplotype Nomenclature and Updated Mitochondrial Lineage Distributions in the Eastern Pacific.
AU - Omar Horacio Sol-Torres
AU - Hugo David Gallardo-Sánchez
AU - Fátima Yedith Camacho-Sánchez
AU - Sarah Maria Vargas
AU - Eduardo Resendiz
AU - Alan A Zavala-Norzagaray
AU - José Alberto Narváez-Zapata
AU - Luis A Tello-Sahagún
AU - Catherine E Hart
AU - José Alfredo González-Gerardo
AU - Raymundo Rosas-Quijano
AU - Didiana Gálvez-López
AU - Miguel Angel Reyes-López
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/25
JO - Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
DO - 10.3390/ani16193021
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42882990
AB - Lepidochelys olivacea is the most abundant sea turtle species worldwide and exhibits a circumtropical distribution across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Global phylogeographic studies have identified three major mitochondrial lineages, but comparisons among regions remain limited by inconsistent mtDNA control-region fragment lengths, incompatible haplotype nomenclatures, and uneven geographic sampling. The East Pacific Regional Management Unit (RMU), which includes major nesting populations in Mexico and Costa Rica, experienced severe demographic declines during the twentieth century, and the effects of expanded sampling on current phylogeographic patterns remain uncertain. This study analyzed 1264 mtDNA control region sequences (474-bp and 653-bp fragments) to update and standardize the global genetic dataset of L. olivacea, incorporating novel samples from previously unsampled East Pacific localities. Clear phylogeographic differentiation among RMUs was detected and remained consistent across both sequence lengths, supporting the Atlantic (ATL), East Pacific (EP), and Indo-West Pacific (IWP) lineages. Shared haplotypes between the EP and IWP lineages likely reflect historical connectivity rather than contemporary transoceanic movements. The 653-bp dataset revealed greater haplotype diversity (78 haplotypes) than the 474-bp dataset (62 haplotypes), highlighting the improved resolution provided by the longer marker. Regional diversity patterns appeared to be influenced by sampling effort, particularly in underrepresented regions such as the West Indian Ocean. Negative neutrality indices in both Pacific RMUs suggested recent population expansion. This study establishes a standardized haplotype nomenclature for L. olivacea, provides an updated view of mitochondrial lineage distributions, and offers a robust framework for future phylogeographic and conservation studies across the species' range.
SN - 2076-2615
ER -