Data from: Genetic variation, multiple paternity and measures of reproductive success in the critically endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

The Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico contains some of the largest breeding groups of the globally distributed and critically endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). An improved understanding of the breeding system of this species and how its genetic variation is structured among nesting areas is required before the threats to its survival can be properly evaluated. Here, we genotype 1195 hatchlings and 41 nesting females at 12 microsatellite loci to assess levels of multiple paternity, genetic variation and whether individual levels of homozygosity are associated with reproductive success. Of the 50 clutches analyzed, only 6% have multiple paternity. The distribution of pairwise relatedness among nesting localities (rookeries) was not random with elevated within-rookery relatedness, and declining relatedness with geographic distance indicating some natal philopatry. Although there was no strong evidence that particular rookeries had lost allelic variation via drift, younger turtles had significantly lower levels of genetic variation than older turtles, suggesting some loss of genetic variation. At present there is no indication that levels of genetic variation are associated with measures of reproductive success such as clutch size, hatching success, and frequency of infertile eggs.墨西哥尤卡坦半岛拥有全球分布且极度濒危的玳瑁（Eretmochelys imbricata）最大的几个繁殖种群之一。在能够有效评估其生存威胁之前，我们需要进一步明晰该物种的繁殖系统，以及其遗传变异在各产卵区域间的结构模式。本研究通过对12个微卫星位点（microsatellite loci）进行基因分型，分析了1195只幼龟与41只产卵雌性的遗传信息，以评估多重父权（multiple paternity）水平、遗传变异水平，以及个体纯合度是否与繁殖成功率相关。在所分析的50窝卵中，仅6%存在多重父权现象。各产卵场（rookeries）间的两两亲缘关系分布并非随机：产卵场内亲缘关系水平升高，而亲缘关系随地理距离增加而降低，这表明该物种存在一定的出生地恋巢繁殖习性（natal philopatry）。尽管尚无充分证据表明特定产卵场因遗传漂变（genetic drift）丢失了等位基因变异，但幼龄海龟的遗传变异水平显著低于成年海龟，这提示该物种存在一定程度的遗传变异丢失现象。目前尚无证据表明，遗传变异水平与窝卵数、孵化成功率、无精卵发生率等繁殖成功率指标存在关联。