Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5717 No. 3: 6 Nov. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-11-06
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5717.3.2
Page range: 318-328
Abstract views: 98
PDF downloaded: 30

Phylogeography and genetic diversity of the Serrated Hinge-back Tortoise Kinixys erosa (Schweigger): implications for taxonomy and conservation

Institute of Environmental Planning, Leibniz University Hannover, 30419 Hannover, Germany (present address). Museum of Zoology Senckenberg Dresden, A. B. Meyer Building, 01109 Dresden, Germany.
Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic. National Museum of the Czech Republic, Department of Zoology, Prague, Czech Republic.
Independent researcher, 13158 Berlin, Germany.
Museum of Zoology Senckenberg Dresden, A. B. Meyer Building, 01109 Dresden, Germany.
Laboratory of Herpetology, Zoology Section, Department of Biology, Centre of Research in Natural Sciences at Lwiro, South Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Museum of Zoology Senckenberg Dresden, A. B. Meyer Building, 01109 Dresden, Germany. Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Talstraße 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Africa biogeography genetics nuclear DNA phylogeography taxonomy Reptilia

Abstract

The Serrated Hinge-back Tortoise Kinixys erosa inhabits moist forests across Central and West Africa and is known to show phylogeographic structure. Based on extended geographic sampling, we re-examined its phylogeography using three mitochondrial genes and up to 17 nuclear loci. The observed mtDNA variation was considerable and corresponds to two major and well-supported clades from the western and the eastern part of the distribution range. Within the western clade, samples from Ghana represent a well-supported subclade. Nuclear loci support the genetic distinctness of these groups showing the Ghanian population as the most divergent. This suggests that K. erosa comprises hitherto unrecognized distinct taxa. Since no sufficient morphological data are available, and it is unclear to which clade the name K. erosa (Schweigger) refers, we abstain from taxonomic conclusions, but identify the genetic clusters as distinct Management Units for conservation.

References

  1. Anhuf, D. (2000) Vegetation history and climate changes in Africa north and south of the equator (10° S to 10° N) during the last glacial maximum. In: Smolka, P.P. & Volkheimer, W. (Eds.), Southern Hemisphere Paleo- and Neoclimates. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, pp. 225–248. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59694-0_15
  2. Anhuf, D., Ledru, M.-P., Behling, H., Da Cruz Jr., F.W., Cordeiro, R.C., Van der Hammen, T., Karmann, I., Marengo, J.A., De Oliveira, P.E., Pessender, L., Siffedine, A., Albuquerque, A.L. & Da Silva Dias, P.L. (2006) Paleo-environmental change in Amazonian and African rainforest during the LGM. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 239 (3–4), 510–527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2006.01.017
  3. Bickford, D., Lohman, D.J., Sodhi, N.S., Ng, P.K.L., Meier, R., Winkler, K., Ingram, K.K. & Das, I. (2007) Cryptic species as a window on diversity and conservation. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 22 (3), 148–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2006.11.004
  4. Booth, A.H. (1958) The Niger, the Volta and the Dahomey Gap as geographic barriers. Evolution, 12 (1), 48–62. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1558-5646.1958.tb02927.x
  5. Bour, R. (2006) Le genre Kinixys Bell: histoire nomenclaturale et taxinomique. Chéloniens, 3, 8–15.
  6. Branch, B.[W.R.] (2008) Tortoises, Terrapins & Turtles of Africa. Struik, Cape Town, 128 pp.
  7. Bryant, D. & Huson, D.H. (2023) NeighborNet: Improved algorithms and implementation. Frontiers in Bioinformatics, 3, 1178600. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbinf.2023.1178600
  8. Chirio, L. & LeBreton, M. (2007) Atlas des reptiles du Cameroun. Publications scientifiques du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle and IRD Éditions, Paris, 686 pp.
  9. Clement, M.J., Posada, D. & Crandall, K.A. (2000) TCS: A computer program to estimate gene genealogies. Molecular Ecology, 9 (10), 1657–1659. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-294x.2000.01020.x
  10. Cordero, G.A., Vamberger, M., Fritz, U. & Ihlow, F. (2023) Skeletal repatterning enhances the protective capacity of the shell in African hinge-back tortoises (Kinixys). Anatomical Record, 306 (6), 1558–1573. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.24954
  11. Couvreur, T.L.P., Dauby, G., Blach‐Overgaard, A., Deblauwe, V., Dessein, S., Droissart, V., Hardy, O.J., Harris, D.J., Janssens, S.B., Ley, A.C., Mackinder, B.A., Sonké, B., Sosef, M.S.M., Stévart, T., Svenning, J.-C., Wieringa, J.J., Faye, A., Missoup, A.D., Tolley, K.A., Nicolas, V., Ntie, S., Fluteau, F., Robin, C., Guillocheau, F., Barboni, D. & Sepulchre, P. (2021) Tectonics, climate and the diversification of the tropical African terrestrial flora and fauna. Biological Reviews, 96 (1), 16–51. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12644
  12. Ernst, M., Rödel, M.-O. & Blom, M.P.K. (2025) Towards a comprehensive view on evolutionary refugia in West African rainforests. Frontiers of Biogeography, 18, e139537. https://doi.org/10.21425/fob.18.139537
  13. Fritz, U., Alcalde, L., Vargas-Ramírez, M., Goode, E.V., Fabius-Turoblin, D.U. & Praschag, P. (2012) Northern genetic richness and southern purity, but just one species in the Chelonoidis chilensis complex. Zoologica Scripta, 41 (3), 220–232. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-6409.2012.00533.x
  14. Fritz, U. & Bininda-Emonds, O.R.P. (2007) When genes meet nomenclature: Tortoise phylogeny and the shifting generic concepts of Testudo and Geochelone. Zoology, 110 (4), 298–307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.zool.2007.02.003
  15. Fritz, U., Herrmann, H.-W., Rosen, P.C., Auer, M., Vargas-Ramírez, M. & Kehlmaier, C. (2024) Trachemys in Mexico and beyond: Beautiful turtles, taxonomic nightmare, and a mitochondrial poltergeist (Testudines: Emydidae). Vertebrate Zoology, 74, 435–452. https://doi.org/10.3897/vz.74.e125958
  16. Hardy, O.J., Born, C., Budde, K., Daïnou, K., Dauby, G., Duminil, J., Ewédjé, E.-E.B.K., Gomez, C., Heuertz, M., Koffi, G.K., Lowe, A.J., Micheneau, C., Ndiade-Bourobou, D., Piñeiro, R. & Poncet, V. (2013) Comparative phylogeography of African rain forest trees: A review of genetic signatures of vegetation history in the Guineo-Congolian region. Comptes Rendus Geoscience, 345 (7–8), 284–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crte.2013.05.001
  17. Iverson, J.B., Spinks, P.Q., Shaffer, H.B., McCord, W.P. & Das, I. (2001) Phylogenetic relationships among the Asian tortoises of the genus Indotestudo (Reptilia: Testudines: Testudinidae). Hamadryad, 26 (2), 272–275.
  18. Jaynes, K.E., Myers, E.A., Gvoždík, V., Blackburn, D.C., Portik, D.M., Greenbaum, E., Jongsma, G.F.M., Rödel, M.-O., Badjedjea, G., Bamba-Kaya, A., Baptista, N.L., Akuboy, J.B., Ernst, R., Kouete, M.T., Kusamba, C., Masudi, F.M., McLaughlin, P.J., Nneji, L.M., Onadeko, A.B., Penner, J., Pinot, P.V., Stuart, B.L., Tobi, E., Zassi-Boulou, A.-G., Leaché, A.D., Fujita, M.K. & Bell, R.C. (2022) Giant tree frog diversification in West and Central Africa: Isolation by physical barriers, climate, and reproductive traits. Molecular Ecology, 31 (15), 3979–3998. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16169
  19. Joly, S., Stevens, M.I. & van Vuuren, B.J. (2007) Haplotype networks can be misleading in the presence of missing data. Systematic Biology, 56 (5), 857–862. https://doi.org/10.1080/10635150701633153
  20. Jombart, T. (2008) Adegenet: A R package for the multivariate analysis of genetic markers. Bioinformatics, 24 (11), 1403–1405. https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btn129
  21. Kehlmaier, C., Graciá, E., Ali, J.R., Campbell, P.D., Chapman, S.D., Deepak, V., Ihlow, F., Jalil, N.-E., Pierre-Huyet, L., Samonds, K.E., Vences, M. & Fritz, U. (2023) Ancient DNA elucidates the lost world of western Indian Ocean giant tortoises and reveals a new extinct species from Madagascar. Science Advances, 9 (2), eabq2574. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abq2574
  22. Kindler, C., Branch, W.R., Hofmeyr, M.D., Maran, J., Široký, P., Vences, M., Harvey, J., Hauswaldt, J.S., Schleicher, A., Stuckas, H. & Fritz, U. (2012) Molecular phylogeny of African hinge‐back tortoises (Kinixys): Implications for phylogeography and taxonomy (Testudines: Testudinidae). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 50 (3), 192–201. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0469.2012.00660.x
  23. Kumar, S., Stecher, G., Li, M., Knyaz, C. & Tamura, K. (2018) MEGA X: Molecular evolutionary genetics analysis across computing platforms. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 35 (6), 1547–1549. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msy096
  24. Lawson, D.P. (1993) The reptiles and amphibians of the Korup National Park project, Cameroon. Herpetological Natural History, 1, 27–90.
  25. Lawson, D.P. (2000) Local harvest of hingeback tortoises, Kinixys erosa and K. homeana, in southwestern Cameroon. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 3 (4), 722–729.
  26. Lawson, D.P. (2006) Habitat use, home range, and activity patterns of hingeback tortoises, Kinixys erosa and K. homeana, in southwestern Cameroon. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 5 (1), 48–56. https://doi.org/10.2744/1071-8443(2006)5[48:HUHRAA]2.0.CO;2
  27. Le, M., Raxworthy, C.J., McCord, W.P. & Mertz, L. (2006) A molecular phylogeny of tortoises (Testudines: Testudinidae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 40 (2), 517–531. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2006.03.003
  28. Leaché, A.D., Oaks, J.R., Ofori-Boateng, C. & Fujita, M.K. (2020) Comparative phylogeography of West African amphibians and reptiles. Evolution, 74 (4), 716–724. https://doi.org/10.1111/evo.13941
  29. Leaché, A.D., Portik, D.M., Rivera, D., Rödel, M.-O., Penner, J., Gvoždík, V., Greenbaum, E., Jongsma, G.F.M., Ofori-Boateng, C., Burger, M., Eniang, E.A., Bell, R.C. & Fujita, M.K. (2019) Exploring rain forest diversification using demographic model testing in the African foam‐nest treefrog Chiromantis rufescens. Journal of Biogeography, 46 (12), 2706–2721. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.13716
  30. Luiselli, L. (2003) Comparative abundance and population structure of sympatric Afrotropical tortoises in six rainforest areas: The differential effects of “traditional veneration” and of “subsistence hunting” by local people. Acta Oecologica, 24 (3), 157–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1146-609X(03)00072-9
  31. Luiselli, L., Agyekumhene, A., Akani, G.C., Allman, P., Diagne, T., Eniang, E.A., Mifsud, D.A., Petrozzi, F. & Segniagbeto, G.H. (2021) Kinixys homeana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2021, e.T11003A18341580. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T11003A18341580.en
  32. Luiselli, L. & Diagne, T. (2014) Kinixys erosa (Schweigger 1812) – forest hinge-back tortoise, serrated hinge-back tortoise, serrated hinged tortoise. Chelonian Research Monographs, 5, 084.1–084.13. https://doi.org/10.3854/crm.5.084.erosa.v1.2014
  33. Maley, J. (1996) The African rain forest – main characteristics of changes in vegetation and climate from the Upper Cretaceous to the Quaternary. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh B, 104, 31–73. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0269727000006114
  34. Múrias dos Santos, A., Cabezas, M.P., Tavares, A.I., Xavier, R. & Branco, M. (2016) tcsBU: A tool to extend TCS network layout and visualization. Bioinformatics, 32 (4), 627–628. https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btv636
  35. Petzold, A., Vargas-Ramírez, M., Kehlmaier, C., Vamberger, M., Branch, W.R., du Preez, L., Hofmeyr, M.D., Meyer, L., Schleicher, A., Široký, P. & Fritz, U. (2014) A revision of African helmeted terrapins (Testudines: Pelomedusidae: Pelomedusa), with descriptions of six new species. Zootaxa, 3795 (5), 523–548. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3795.5.2
  36. Rambaut, A., Drummond, A.J., Xie, D., Baele, G. & Suchard, M.A. (2018) Posterior summarization in Bayesian phylogenetics using Tracer 1.7. Systematic Biology, 67 (5), 901–904. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syy032
  37. Ronquist, F., Teslenko, M., van der Mark, P., Ayres, D.L., Darling, A., Höhna, S., Larget, B., Suchard, M.A. & Huelsenbeck, J.P. (2012) MrBayes 3.2: Efficient Bayesian phylogenetic inference and model choice across a large model space. Systematic Biology, 61 (3), 539–542. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/sys029
  38. Rozas, J., Ferrer-Mata, A., Sánchez-DelBarrio, J.C., Guirao-Rico, S., Librado, P., Ramos-Onsins, S.E. & Sánchez-Gracia, A. (2017) DnaSP 6: DNA sequence polymorphism analysis of large data sets. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 34 (12), 3299–3302. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msx248
  39. Salzmann, U. & Hoelzmann, P. (2005) The Dahomey Gap: An abrupt climatically induced rain forest fragmentation in West Africa during the late Holocene. The Holocene, 15 (2), 190–199. https://doi.org/10.1191/0959683605hl799rp
  40. Schweigger, A.F. (1812) Prodromus monographiae Cheloniorum. Königsberger Archiv für Naturwissenschaft und Mathematik, 1, 271–368 + 406–462.
  41. Segniagbeto, G.H., Trape, J.F., David, P., Ohler, A., Dubois, A. & Glitho, I.A. (2011) The snake fauna of Togo: Systematics, distribution and biogeography, with remarks on selected taxonomic problems. Zoosystema, 33 (3), 325–360. https://doi.org/10.5252/z2011n3a4
  42. Shaw, G. (1802) General Zoology, or Systematic Natural History. Volume III, Part I, Amphibia. G. Kearsley, London, 312 pp.
  43. Shen, Y.-Y., Dai, K., Cao, X., Murphy, R.W., Shen, X.-J. & Zhang, Y.-P. (2014) The updated phylogenies of the Phasianidae based on combined data of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. PLoS One, 9 (4), e95786. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0095786
  44. Spawls, S., Howell, K., Hinkel, H. & Menegon, M. (2018) A Field Guide to East African Reptiles. Second Edition. Bloomsbury Wildlife, London, 624 pp.
  45. Stamatakis, A. (2014) RAxML version 8: A tool for phylogenetic analysis and post-analysis of large phylogenies. Bioinformatics, 30 (9), 1312–1313. https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btu033
  46. Stamatakis, A. (2016) The RAxML v8.2.X Manual. Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Heidelberg, 61 pp.
  47. Thomson, R.C., Spinks, P.Q. & Shaffer, H.B. (2021) A global phylogeny of turtles reveals a burst of climate-associated diversification on continental margins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 118 (7), e2012215118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2012215118
  48. TTWG [Turtle Taxonomy Working Group] (2025) Turtles of the world. Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status (10th ed.). Chelonian Research Monographs, 10, 1–575. https://doi.org/10.3854/crm.10.checklist.atlas.v10.2025
  49. Vargas-Ramírez, M., Vences, M., Branch, W.R., Daniels, S.R., Glaw, F., Hofmeyr, M.D., Kuchling, G., Maran, J., Papenfuss, T.J., Široký, P., Vieites, D.R. & Fritz, U. (2010) Deep genealogical lineages in the widely distributed African helmeted terrapin: Evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA (Testudines: Pelomedusidae: Pelomedusa subrufa). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 56 (1), 428–440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2010.03.019
  50. Wiens, J.J., Kuczynski, C.A. & Stephens, P.R. (2010) Discordant mitochondrial and nuclear gene phylogenies in emydid turtles: Implications for speciation and conservation. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 99 (2), 445–461. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2009.01342.x
  51. Wüster, W. (2025) Shedding the mitochondrial blinkers: A long-overdue challenge for species delimitation in herpetology. Vertebrate Zoology, 75, 259–275. https://doi.org/10.3897/vz.75.e161536

How to Cite

Ihlow, F., Gvoždík, V., Nagy, Z.T., Kehlmaier, C., Chifundera, Z.K. & Fritz, U. (2025) Phylogeography and genetic diversity of the Serrated Hinge-back Tortoise Kinixys erosa (Schweigger): implications for taxonomy and conservation. Zootaxa, 5717 (3), 318–328. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5717.3.2