Determination of tortoises origin based on SNPSTR markers: a case study of melanistic Testudo hermanni
Annika Mozer·Beate Pfau·Adnan Zimić·Albert Martı́nez Silvestre·J L Fayos Soler·Caron Sébastien·Jean‐Marie Ballouard·Albia Consul·Emina Šunje·Joan Budó·Ana Golubović
Abstract Nine out of the ten most commonly seized CITES-listed reptiles are tortoises and freshwater turtles. It is often necessary to prove the geographic origin of these animals, which may be challenging when using only morphological characters. Molecular tools are needed to detect and prove illegal wildlife trade. Therefore, in this study, we developed a set of DNA markers for one species of Testudines, Testudo hermanni . The set includes two short tandem repeat (STR) markers and ten STR mark