Alligator Snappers now 3 distinct species

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ThatFrogGuy
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Alligator Snappers now 3 distinct species

Post by ThatFrogGuy »

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmpr/?Page=news&storyID=18343
simus343
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Re: Alligator Snappers now 3 distinct species

Post by simus343 »

I find the idea of evolution of new Alligator Snapping Turtle species based on river isolation, especially in prominent rivers, quite likely. Geographical isolation is one of several "big" factors that affect evolution, so it comes as no surprise to me.

I do have a few more questions though. If these two species have evolved due to river isolation, why have Alligator Snapping Turtles in other river systems not "evolved" yet, or is there a chance that there are ASTs in other rivers that have not been yet identified as not being "the original?"
And what about creeks, is there a chance that they may move from river to river via bays? There is a creek near m house that empties into a bay, that leads right into the Gulf of Mexico, which has very large Alligator Snapping Turtles in it. It is a seepage fed creek, not a spring fed creek. About 45 miles up the bay though there is a large river. May this be how the ASTs may have arrived to be in this creek? A point to add here as well is that the bay was originally a freshwater lake, and a huge opening was dug to allow fishermen to access the gulf of mexico (this was about 80 years ago I believe). Could the ASTs have come from the river and gone thru the then-freshwater-lake and become isolated in these creeks as a result of the salt water coming in from the Gulf of Mexico?

Overall the identification of two separate species of Alligator Snapping Turtles is very intriguing. The idea of river isolation leads me to believe as well that there may be more potential for species identification in the future for ASTs.
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Fieldnotes
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Re: Alligator Snappers now 3 distinct species

Post by Fieldnotes »

Question for the Alligator Snapper experts. If there are now 3-species, can someone tell me what species 'Old Bob' is? He is the 100 lb. Snapper pulled from Laguna Lake in Fullerton California. I'm trying to find a pic of its rear shell but haven had any luck.
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