Variação morfológica e populacional de Trachemys dorbigni (Testudines, Emydidae) no extremo sul do Brasil

Abstract

This dissertation, entitled "Morphological variation and population in Trachemys dorbigni (Testudines, Emydidae) in southern Brazil" is organized in two articles. The first article, entitled "Geographic variation in morphology and population structure in Trachemys dorbigni (Testudines, Emydidae) in southern Brazil" and the second article, entitled: "Irregularities in the pattern of shells inTrachemys dorbigni (Testudines, Emydidae): age variation and spatial". This study contributes to the characterization of populations of T. dorbigniin southern Rio Grande do Sul, as well as the characterization of ecomorphology presented by species and presence of irregularities in the shell. In accordance with expectations, the populations showed morphological variation and variation in their population structures between the sampling sites. The morphological variation was not correlated with geographic distance. We found females and males significantly higher in places legally protected within a conservation area. The variation in population structure (sex ratio) was explained by the presence of anthropogenic impact. Regarding scutation observed a significant difference between the rates of irregularity of females from different locations, as well as find differences between the sexes. Changes in scutationof T. dorbigni, according to the results probably do not affect the survival of individuals. The pollution of the water body (eg.pesticides) possibly is not alone respoonsible for the occurrence of changes in the shells, because both individuals as preserved polluted sites showed no significant differences in rates of irregularities.