The genome of the western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) one of the most widespread, abundant and well-studied turtles in the world, is published this week in Genome Biology. The data show that, like turtles themselves, the rate of genome evolution is extremely slow; turtle genomes evolve at a rate that is about a third that of the human genome and a fifth that of the python, the fastest lineage analyzed. Leer más.

Methyl mercury is a persistent environmental contaminant that threatens the health of organisms in ecosystems throughout the world. Since methylmercury bioaccumulates over time and biomagnifies at each trophic level, long-lived, carnivorous species such as reptiles are at greatest risk. Reptiles have often been used as bioindicators of local mercury contamination, and many species have been shown to accumulate large concentrations of mercury in affected habitats. Leer  más.

The fossilized remains of a 60-million-year-old relative of the alligator gar is seen in a rock discovered near Okotoks. Leer más.

Conservation groups in Panama have successfully raised nine endangered limosa harlequin frogs (Atelopus limosus), from a single mating pair and announced that they have hundreds of tadpoles from a second mating pair. Leer más.

Cesar Ayres, Alberto Alvarez, Enrique Ayllon, Albert Bertolero, Xabi Buenetxea, Adolfo Cordero-Rivera, Antoni Curco-Masip, Jesus Duarte, Miguel Angel Farfan, Marcos Ferrandez, Marc Franch, Laura Fortuño, Joaquin Guerrero, Pedro Luis Hernandez-Sastre, Ignacio Lacomba, Luis Lorente, David Miguelez-Carbajo, Samuel Pinya, Virginia Rada, David Romero, Jorge Sanchez, Vicente Sancho, Aitor Valdeo. Conservation projects for Emys orbicularis in Spain. pp. 157-164. Podéis descargaros el pdf completo en el siguiente enlace.