Análise de parentesco em filhotes da Tartaruga da Amazônia (Podocnemis expansa) utilizando marcadores microssatélites

Abstract

Previous studies showed the occurrence of polyandrous mating behavior in female Amazonian turtle populations through analysis of paternity in their broods. However, are not conclusive because the rate of multiple paternity varies among different populations. Therefore, in order to clarify the reproductive behavior of the Amazon turtle (Podocnemis expansa) in Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve, Tefé-AM, we estimated the degree of polymorphism of microsatellite DNA in a sample of 359 newly hatched chicks twelve nests of this species. Through frequency and allelic variation at five microsatellite loci of DNA determined the occurrence of multiple paternity in all sampled nests. For a nest attributed to the presence of at least four males contributing to the offspring for four nests at least three and seven nests of a minimum of two males contributing to the occurrence of multiple paternity.