BIOCHEMICAL SYSTEMATICS OF NEOTROPICAL TURTLES OF THE GENUS RHINOCLEMMYS (EMYDIDAE, BATAGURINAE)
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Allozyme variation among 6 taxa of Rhinoclemmys was assessed by horizontal starch-gel electrophoresis. Relationships were assessed both phenetically and cladistically. Results were generally concordant. Rhinoclemmys funerea, R. areolata and R. punctularia appear to form a closely related assemblage and are best considered as an unresolved trichotomy. Rhinoclemmys rubida forms a distinct subcluster to the funerea-areolata-punctularia group and is distinguished by a number of autapomorphic alleles. Two subspecies of R. pulcherrima, R.p. manni and R.p. incisa, form a separate cluster from the other species and are cladistically united by 4 synapomorphies. -from Authors